A Bullet with Butterfly Wings
by st.jimmy.987
Summary: Lavi laughed uneasily, trying to ignore the sharp look. "But everyone knows enchantments like that don't exist." He said. "I mean, dooming a castle of people to live as inanimate objects?" "Don't laugh, boy- - -it is more real than you think."
1. The Beginning at the End

So. I know a fair bit of you are most likely waiting for Jekhipe to be updated. I am too. XD haha I have most of the second chapter written out, but no matter how many times I re edit it I'm not happy with it- - -very disappointing. In any case, a little over a week ago I got the idea for this via bookkbaby's video 'something there' on YouTube. As a fair warning, some (read, a lot) things could be inaccurate, and the characters may be out of character. So, with that message, enjoy and don't forget to review. XD

Chapter One:

The only sound at the table was the clinking of silverware, Devitto and Jasdero's fight with Skinn quietly in the background.

At the head of the table sat the ruler, so to speak, the leader of them all: The Millennium Earl. He was big and round and had a wide as all hell grin that never left his face, even when he roared in anger at whatever happened to be subjected to his fury (and his fury was something truly terrible to behold). He had control over powerful elements, making him a most fearful creature when he could change everything, from the weather to the form of his servants, with a wave of his hand. No one knew his real name, all just calling him 'Lord Millennium' when they really needed his attention, and it was fine with him. He wore outlandishly ridiculous outfits that only he would be able to pull off, complete with a matching cane for each outfit and a top hat on his head. The combination of the top hat of the day and the glasses he never took off hid the sharpness of his eyes, making him seem more like a jolly, happy old man surrounded by his famliy rather than the ruthless tyrant surrounded by his highest-esteemed servants and minions he really was.

At his left sat Lulubell, a young woman with more cat-like features and habits than human. She had sharp, piercing gold eyes and was almost never truly pleased. All Lulubell really ate was cold milk from a bowl, lapping up the creamy white liquid with a spoon like a cat would. She never said much, just kept watch, but anything that seemed out of place to her she would report instantly to the Earl. Her long black hair was always pulled back into a ponytail, and whenever the Earl called for her she was ready to do whatever he asked. The only thing she really seemed to care about were her nails; she was the only one in their family that kept a personal servant, a young girl in a maid outfit named Mimi, who did everything she could to keep her mistress happy. Lulubell didn't seem to notice this, or even care: she did what she wanted when she wanted, and if she didn't feel like doing it any more, then she stopped and that was that. It was almost typical cat behavior, though no one expected less of Lulubell.

Across from her was Tyki Mikk. He sat calmly across from Lulubell, eating his food and keeping his face down. If Lulubell was regarded as a 'pet' of the Earl, then Tyki was considered his 'right-hand man'. Anything the Earl wanted done, whether it was gathering information or killing in cold blood, he knew Tyki could get the job done. Tyki had perfected his way of gaining the knowledge he needed from people: from gambling, to dressing as a homeless man and listening in on conversations, to dressing as the high society noble he was and seducing people for it. He had no qualms about who he hurt so long as he got the information he wanted, and as such gained himself a reputation as a playboy among the high society members; nevertheless, they still fell for it and Tyki loved how he worked, loved crushing people as easily as if they were nothing but mere butterflies between his fingers.

Beside him sat Rhode, the youngest of the clan. She was the doted-on grandchild, and she knew it. With her dark, vibrant blue-purple, spikey hair and her wide, innocent golden eyes, Rhode charmed everyone, in her family and out of it. Her specialty was torturing and tormenting the people she hated, and she was extremely good at it. Despite her innocent looks, and her old fashioned yet styled clothes, the young girl had a twisted, sadistic mind and she was extremely proud of it. She also had the Earl wrapped around her finger, and she was exceptional at bringing that up whenever she wanted something. Rhode carried around a stuffed bear, one that was old and worn and had been repaired patiently many times by Tyki. She named him Lero when she was young, and used to have conversations with the bear; even now, Lero had his own voice and opinion at the table thanks to Rhode.

Across from her were the two boys, Jasdero and Devitto. Both boys were older than Rhode by a few years, and though they were found together they were practically polar opposites from each other. Devitto was older by only a bit, but it showed clearly. He liked to talk shit and try and back it up with petty food fights before the Earl came to dinner. His hair, deep black, framed his face and fell into his eyes; one eye bore what looked to be a scar going through it. Despite claiming to have drawn it on himself, the scar on Devitto's face never seemed to fade or come off no matter what. Jasdero, on the other hand, was blonde and childish. He usually repeated whatever Devitto said, though every now and then he would pipe up and say his own thoughts on the subject at hand. Unlike Devitto, Jasdero had long blonde hair that fell past his shoulders in waves. Both his eyes had three marks drawn under them, and (perhaps the most striking thing about Jasdero) on his mouth were stitches; despite them, the blonde could still talk and eat, though as to why they were there in the first place nobody knew.

Between them was their usual victim: Skinn Bolic. Skinn was, by far, the largest of them all. However, while the Earl was big in the way of weight (or air- - -they were never really quite sure, as they had never seen the man in anything less than his usual outfits and the man insisted he wasn't fat), Skinn was huge by the way of muscle. He had almost no sense of great intelligence, and usually resorted to violence to get his point across. He was the great protector of the group, and despite his great size, was addicted to sweet things the way some people were addicted to cocaine. Everything the man was to eat had to be sweet; if it wasn't, he would beat up whomever it was that brought him the food- - -male, female, there was no difference to him.

The family dinner continued in relative silence, the only real conversation coming from Devitto's taunts at Skinn, Jasdero's voice echoing after him. Rhode watched them, amused, her fork in between her hands as Skinn struggled to keep his composure at the table. Lulubell ignored all three boys, lapping contentedly at her milk and ignoring Mimi, who was standing behind her mistress with a determined expression on her pale face.

"Eat, Rhode." Tyki murmured to the younger girl. Her gold eyes turned to him, and he smiled slightly at her. "Miss Lenalee would be most disappointed if you don't finish your meal."

"What do I care?" Rhode asked carelessly, shrugging her shoulders. "She's just a servant, and she is easily replaceable." Despite her flippant response, Rhode began to eat, glancing around as if the long haired cook would come and scold her. Tyki's smile warmed slightly at the young girl as he picked up his own fork.

A knock at the door had all occupants at the table look up.

"Well," The Earl said when the knock sounded again. "It appears we have a guest this evening." Nobody dared to move without the Millennium Earl's order, not even the servants; as such, the knocks continued patiently, never raising in volume or in number. It was a simple knock, knock, knock every few moments. And despite the number of servants they had at their disposal, "Tyki-pon."

"Yes, Lord Millennium." The man replied instantly, placing his napkin by his plate.

"Bring our guest in here." The Earl ordered. "We'll make whomever it is welcome before allowing them to continue on their way." The malicious intent the others heard hidden in his voice and aura suggested otherwise, though as usual the enormous smile and happy tone of his voice betrayed nothing of the Millennium Earl's true plans.

Tyki stood and walked down the hall towards the enormous ornate door, hands falling idly by his side as the steady knocking continued. Reaching the door, he pulled it open to reveal a cloaked old woman, huched over and soaked to the bone. Her wrinkled hand fell from its knocking position, resting atop the other on a cane. Tyki sneered at her slightly before turning to the side, a slight unease filling his stomach.

"Come in." He said, and the woman stepped in slowly. "Follow me, if you please." She made a noncommittal noise, but followed slowly behind him nonetheless. Neither said anything as they walked back to the dining room, where the Earl and his minions were waiting.

"Ah, there we are." The Millennium Earl said in his cheerful sounding voice. "Are you the one who has been knocking?" The woman lifted her head so that the hood of the cloak uncovered her mouth.

"I am." She said softly, her voice sounding young and warm. Tyki looked down at her in slight surprise. The Earl's grin widened.

"What brings you to our castle this evening?" He asked. The woman didn't answer, and Tyki felt as though perhaps inviting her in wasn't the best idea in the world.

"Just a mere traveler passing by." She said in her soft voice. On her walking stick, her hands tightened slightly. "A poor traveler, with no place to stay. Would you be so kind as to offer an old woman a place to rest her old bones for the night?"

"Name one reason we should." Devitto said smugly, tilting back in his chair. Beside him, Jasdero giggled madly, trying to copy the other.

"Why should we, why should we?" He repeated questioningly, laughing madly when his attempt to copy Devitto failed and his head hit the floor with an audible THWACK! The woman tilted her head curiously; though when she spoke again, her voice was void of any emotion.

"A room for one night and a bit of food won't do you much harm." She murmured softly. "Surely you could spare that much, Lord Millennium?"

"This way." Tyki said graciously, placing his hand under her arm and steering her gently towards his vacated place at the table. There was no kindness in his actions; the feeling of unease he had had been intensifying each moment that passed, and he wanted her out as soon as possible. His eyes met Rhode's, and the girl smirked at him in a placating manner, though her eyes revealed the same feelings and thoughts he had.

"Tyki-pon, what are you doing?" The Earl asked, his voice curiously pleasant though underneath the shadows, Tyki could feel his eyes glaring fiercely at him.

"Food is not much." Tyki commented carelessly, shrugging as they walked past Rhode's seat. She grinned cutely at the pair, though the woman didn't seem to notice; if she did, she made no comment about it. "I shall simply get another plate from the kitchens from Miss Lenalee later."

"Would you like some water?" Rhode asked courteously, leaning over on her elbow as Tyki helped the woman sit down. "I'm sure it will taste better than the nasty wine Uncle Tyki always drinks." Tyki sent the girl a small, but playful, glare out of the corner of his eye, making her giggle. The normally cheerful noise sounded slightly forced, revealing how worried Rhode was.

"That's quite enough now, dear." The Earl said dangerously. Everyone froze, from Devitto shoving something in Skinn's mouth to the old woman with the fork suspended in midair. All eyes, save one, turned to the Millennium Earl curiously. "I have invited you no where, and I have offered you nothing. You shall leave, madam, as the nearest town is a few mere miles from here."

"That's almost twenty, though, Lord Millennium." Tyki said calmly from where he stood. The feeling got worse, taking up his entire being; Tyki was sure that if they didn't find a way to accommodate the old woman, they would come to regret it very, very much. "Nearly a whole day's trip. Surely you don't mean an old woman to make such a trip alone at night?"

"At the moment, I wish her gone." The Earl said, finality dripping in his voice. "You may escort her out, if you wish, Tyki-pon, but nothing more, you hear?" There was a slightly tense silence.

"Yes, Lord Millennium." Tyki stood back to allow the woman to stand; she stood slowly, straightening her back. As she did, her cloak fell away to reveal a beautiful young woman, glowing in a soft green light, tendrils falling from a band that covered her eyes. She stood regally, power emanating from her very being, stunning the Noah family even more as they slowly recognized her.

"Hevlaska..." Rhode breathed sharply; instinctively, she reached out and grabbed Tyki's arm, leaving her seat and inching around the powerful being. His hand touched hers, the whole family staring up in awe and surprise.

Hevlaska had always been something of a myth; she was regarded as a powerful goddess who would punish those she saw as unkind or unworthy of their high positions in a quick manner that often resulted in a better rule. The Millennium Earl had insisted from the very first day he came that she hadn't been real, way back when he first arrived ten years ago, and they had slowly began to believe it, some even going as far to admit that the goddess was an evil being.

(And, truly, how could they believe otherwise? The tyrant had ruled for ten years, which cemented the idea that Hevlaska was a myth.)

"Lord Millennium." Hevlaska stated calmly. "You have proven, despite my better attempts, to be an unkind, unjust ruler of any kind." Rhode jumped at her voice, which echoed throughout the dining room, and tightened her grip on Tyki's arm, her eyes wide. Tyki moved slightly, pulling the girl closer and wrapping his free arm around her protectively, though her hold on his arm stayed firm. Jasdero whined loudly and crawled over his chair to grab onto Devitto in a manner similar to Rhode's. Devitto, for his part, scowled, attempting to shake the blonde off as he addressed Hevlaska.

"Who says he's unkind or unjust?" He yelled angrily. Tyki groaned internally; when their clearly very real goddess of peace and vitality makes a statement, it is usually a good idea to not argue against aforementioned statement- - -especially one that had been proved only seconds ago. "All due respect- - -" He cut himself off when Hevlaska turned her face towards him.

"Silence, Little One." She said in her calm, echoing voice, reaching out and touching Devitto's forehead with one finger. The boy's eyes slid shut, as did Jasdero's. Their bodies began to combine with one another's, until no one was sure where Devitto ended and Jasdero began. "Jasdevi," Hevlaska started. The two combinations, looking very dazed, looked up blearily at her. She smiled, and the mixed duo blinked slowly at her as she gave her orders. "I would like it if you would guard the South Wing of the castle."

Jasdevi stood awkwardly, turning to stumble into their position. Behind them, the Millennium Earl all but howled in rage, his fists coming down upon the table as he got to his feet.

"Lord Millennium," She turned her face to him; beside him, Lulubell tensed and hissed softly. Hevlaska ignored her. "You have proven yourself unworthy. I'm here to strip you of your power...Adam." Before anyone could argue otherwise, Hevlaska reached out and, flipping the top hat off, pressed her fingertips to the Millennium Earl's forehead. He vanished instantly with a loud crash that reverberated throughout the castle.

As soon as he vanished, the entire castle began to shake and rumble, dust falling from the ceiling and creating a chaos that terrified the whole castle. Rhode tightened her grip on Tyki's arm once more, her eyes wide with fear.

"What's going on, Uncle Tyki?" She whispered fearfully. Her eyes widened when a thought came to her. "Lenalee!" Before Tyki could ask, Rhode tore herself away and all but flew out of the dining hall, her black skirt fluttering around her legs as she ran.

"Rhode, wait!" Tyki went after her, dodging around the table only to be stopped by Hevlaska. "Excuse my rudeness, Madam Hevlaska, but please move." Hevlaska studied him carefully before gently placing her fingers on his forehead.

"You care for none other." She said slowly. Tyki froze, staring at her with wide gold eyes. "None but yourself and your family. As such, you injure greatly those not among you with a harshness and coldness unbecoming of a future ruler." Tyki managed to make himself move back, but Hevlaska's hand stayed pressed firmly against his head. "Until the day you find love." She murmured cryptically. Tyki felt his entire being start weighing down, and he stumbled a bit more before he tripped over something and collapsed.

Tyki opened his eyes blearily a few hours later. There was no sign of anyone in the dining hall, and with a groan he forced himself to sit up properly. He noticed that everything seemed to be in order, though their half-finished dinners were spilled all over the table and floor.

There was a sound, like a bell being rung as it moved, and Tyki turned to see a black cat walk in, a white cross on her forehead. There was a purple ribbon around her neck, where a small bell hung. She looked at him inquisitively for a few moments before licking her paws and rubbing her face.

"Meow." She said, finishing and standing, her silver bell making a little more noise as she walked up to Tyki, her nose twitching once. "Meow." Her golden eyes looked up at him before narrowing slightly. Despite this, she rubbed against his ankle, purring contentedly.

"...Lulubell?" Tyki finally managed, noting in the back of his mind that his voice was harsher then he remembered. He decided at the moment it was due to inhaling too much dust, and bent down to pick the cat up. She blinked at him once before licking his nose encouragingly. "Lulubell, what happened?" Lulubell's nose twitched slightly and she sneezed.

"Madam Lulubell! Madam Lulubell! Oh, Madam Lulubell, where are you?" The frantic call drew both eyes to the door as Mimi, looking very much like a feather duster, flew into the room. She drew to a stop with a gasp, her eyes wide.

Tyki blinked in surprise. Mimi was almost twice the size of a normal feather duster, and retained a lot of her human features. She had a dark wood handle serving as her body, though she had nothing for her arms, and black and white feathers that seemed to represent her dress. Her brown eyes, previously filled with fear for her mistress, grew impossibly wider, complete and utter terror filling them.

She screamed.

"What have you done to Madam Lulubell?" She shrieked, rushing forward towards them, her voice shaky despite her attempts to sound brave. "What have you done to her?"

"Mimi- - -calm down." When she was close enough, Tyki picked her up gently. Her brown eyes were filled with tears, and she struggled faintly to get away, her eyes not losing an ounce of her terror, though after a few moments it became clear that she wouldn't be able to escape and she stopped moving, what Tyki supposed was her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

"Please don't hurt Madam Lulubell." She whimpered softly through gasping breaths. Tyki frowned slightly, looking from her to the cat, before standing fully.

"Where are the others?" He asked quietly, completely ignoring the girl's almost obsessive concern for the dark-haired, dark-skinned woman. Mimi shrugged as best she could.

"I didn't think to find anyone else." She said shakily, still gasping. "I was worried about Madam Lulubell." Tears finally began pouring down her face. "Please, don't hurt her!"

Tyki made a slight face and gingerly set the cat and duster down onto the floor. He ignored the relieved cry that came from her as she recognized that cat as her beloved mistress, her overjoyed 'oh, Madam Lulubell, I was so worried!', as he thought where everyone would be.

Jasdero and Devitto were in the South Wing of the castle, that much he knew for a fact. Lulubell was here, her current form more fitting to her personality that Tyki expected (though after Hevlaska combined Jasdero and Devitto, Tyki hadn't been sure what to expect). He wasn't quite sure where Hevlaska had sent the Millennium Earl; though it was more than likely that the man was not dead, Tyki couldn't care less about the man's current whereabouts. Skinn could be anywhere in the castle, though he was more likely near his own room, where he liked to spend a majority of his day. Lenalee was likely in the kitchen, where Rhode had been headed- - -

Tyki's blood froze slightly at the thought. Where was Rhode? She had managed to get away from him while Hevlaska had been there, running for Lenalee when she realized that the girl was in the kitchens alone.

With that thought in mind, Tyki left Mimi and Lulubell in the dining room, entering the hallway that would take him to the kitchen.

The hallway was dark, and Tyki had half a mind to get a light from somewhere. He didn't, moving far too quickly for his liking down the hallway. He wasn't sure what Hevlaska had done to him just yet, and while he was curious, he had no real inclination to find out.

A light caught his attention, and without thinking he grabbed it, holding it up to light his way.

"OW!" Tyki stopped abruptly, glancing at the silver candle stick in his hand. It struggled, attempting to free itself. "Ow, that hurts! Let go, let go!" Tyki gentled his grip slightly, but didn't drop it.

Silver eyes opened and glared at his shadowed face.

"Allen Walker?" Tyki asked quietly, peering at it. Sure enough, the silver eyes of Cross Marian's apprentice glared back at him. The candlestick matched his silver-grey eyes; on the candle itself was the red pentacle that graced the boy's face, and the left holder was twisted and tarnished beyond repair.

"Tyki?" Allen's glare dropped quickly, and in his haste to bow, some melted wax dripped off his head and onto the castle floor. "I couldn't see you, I swear!" Allen peered into the darkness surrounding Tyki, but the man held his position out of Allen's sight- - -Mimi had looked absolutely terrified to see him, and Tyki had no desire to repeat the process with Allen Walker just yet.

"Where's Rhode?" He asked, walking at a slower pace. Allen thought, the smaller holders coming towards his face as he thought.

"I saw her go into the kitchens." He said finally. "BaKanda wouldn't let me go after her to make sure she was ok." Tyki nodded once and for a moment, they continued in silence. "Tyki?" The older male sighed in response; Allen took that as a chance to continue. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure." Tyki admitted after a while, focused more on finding the girl than his answer; his voice came out colder than normal, and Allen winced slightly. "All I know at the moment is that Lulubell is a cat, Mimi is a feather duster, and you are a candlestick." Tyki growled in frustration, the feral sound coming out more animalistic and wild than was normal. "And I have no idea what happened to Rhode."

"Tyki..." Allen gasped slightly, twisting around slightly. "It hurts..." Tyki loosened his grip, still growling; the fact that he had yet to see Rhode troubled him greatly. "You haven't seen yourself?"

"No." Tyki said shortly. "I almost don't want to at the moment." Allen 'tsk'ed in sympathy but said nothing more until they got to the kitchens.

The room beyond the kitchen doorway was uncharacteristically silent, which made Tyki growl a bit more. Allen shifted nervously in Tyki's grip.

"Rhode?" Tyki called out as he opened the door. "Rhode, darling, are you in here?" There was a shadowed movement and Tyki swung Allen around to follow the movement; the candlelight passed over a brown lump on the ground, and Tyki stilled to see it.

Lero's face peered back at him.

"Hello, Lero." Tyki said slowly, taking a step towards the bear. Allen's firelight flickered in the black eyes of the bear as they got closer. "Where's Miss Rhode?"

"How am I supposed to know, Lero!" The bear cried, and Tyki felt a surge of relief course through him. "She put me here, Lero, and disappeared!" Moving toward Lero, Tyki blinked in surprise when all he saw was a violet teacup in the bear's lap.

"Rhode?" He questioned. The teacup quivered slightly, thin gold designs shining in the light, and Tyki felt his shoulders slump in relief. "Rhode, darling, is that you?" There was silence for a moment; not even Allen said anything.

Then Rhode sniffled and turned, her eyes a dark violet color glowing violently in the candlelight.

"I hate Hevlaska." She said darkly, her eyes shining with fury and an intent to murder. "I hate her. Why did she do this to us?" Tyki gingerly reached for the girl, but the sight of his hand caused her eyes to widen and draw back, her gold handle digging into Lero's stomach. "Uncle Tyki?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly.

His hand was longer than usual, and clawed with dark grey skin. The grey skin traveled up his arm, and Tyki dropped Allen out of surprise. The boy grunted when he hit the counter by Lero and Rhode. He stood instantly, the silver bending in ways it wouldn't have in normal circumstances, which lit Tyki up even more.

His entire body was the same shade of grey, and there was a type of half mask placed on his face, covering everything above his nose. The half mask had a horn sticking out of it, and there were what appeared to be vine-like appendages coming out of his back, forming what appeared to be wings to keep from dragging on the floor. His hair was long and wild, and he was covered by some sort of unfamiliar armor.

"Uncle Tyki?" Rhode tried again, but Tyki had run off, leaving the kitchen at a rate much faster than his normal pace, the hallways blurring past him as he made his way to his room.

He skid to a stop in front of the doorway to his room, wrenching it open so hard the wooden door nearly came off its hinges. Stepping inside, Tyki tried to calm himself as he saw his reflection in the mirror.

_"Until the day you find love."_

Tyki felt his knees give out when Hevlaska's words came back to him. In the corner of his eye, he saw a rose bud surrounded by two small cocoons on his bedside; the sight cemented what happened to the castle and it's inhabitants, proving it in a way that would have been impossible unless it came from the mouth of Hevlaska herself.

The sudden roar of rage echoed throughout the castle suddenly, breaking the relative calm of the night. 


	2. All That's Known

Thank any of you who read chapter one of A Bullet with Butterfly Wings. (i figure i shall mention it now, since i forgot to last chapter) the title actually comes from a Smashing Pumpkins song, so enjoy. XD

As last time, characters could be out of character and some (read, many) things may be inaccurate. Enjoy.

First, thanks to Kuro Yoshi for being my first (and thus far only) reviewer: I'm glad you think it's awesome, and it makes me happy to know I have your support. XD

Anyway, read, enjoy, and don't forget to review (note that I accept anonymous reviews, haha XD shameless...)

Chapter 2

Nineteen year old Darryl cracked his neck by tilting his head side to side almost carelessly, sighing as he stretched his muscles. He had ended up pulling another all nighter thanks to the man who had taken him in- - -Bookman. Mumbling under his breath, Darryl rubbed his good eye sleepily as he half dragged himself to the area they had designated their kitchen.

"Morning, Gramps," He muttered, voice sleep-filled even though he hadn't shut his eyes all night due to studying, as he pulled himself up onto the counter top. Beside him, an old man wearing a black cloak continued make them breakfast.

"Off the counter, Darryl." He said without looking up from his cooking. Darryl grumbled lightly, his voice slowly but surely becoming aware once more, obediently sliding off. "Go set the table- - -" Darryl made a noise of agreement, heading back into the room he had just exited. There was a loud sound, and Bookman jumped. "Be mindful of the books, idiot!" Muttering under his breath some more, Darryl began moving the piles of books that had accumulated over the night he spent studying. Uncovering a slightly flattened green headband, Darryl studied it for a moment before shoving it onto his head, mindful of his eye patch, making the green fabric pull his hair back when he pushed it up a bit.

"So what do we have planned for today, Gramps?" He asked over his shoulder, dropping a huge stack of books with another loud noise on the floor. He heard Bookman sigh heavily from the doorway that separated the kitchen from the room. "They're fine, they're fine- - -didn't even fall over."

Bookman fully entered the room, two bowls of warm cereal in his hands. His eyes, dark and ringed permanently with black, studied Darryl critically. Darryl awkwardly pulled down the over sized shirt he had been wearing, trying and failing to make it and himself more presentable. Bookman sighed and shook his head, setting the bowls on the now cleared table, sitting down and motioning Darryl to do the same.

"You need to go into town today." Bookman started as the red headed boy sat down, making him groan. Bookman threw a blank scroll at him, hitting the boy in the forehead. Ignoring the boy's startled 'ow!', Bookman continued. "I will be traveling soon, and there are some things in town I need that I cannot go pick up myself."

"Yes sir." Darryl nodded in agreement, eating his food with one hand while the other rubbed the place where the scroll had hit gently. The idea of traveling once more startled Darryl; they had only stumbled upon the town a few weeks prior, and it was usually a year or two later they left any village they came upon. "Where are we going this time?"

"Not 'us', Darryl." Bookman corrected sternly, catching the boy's eye as he relayed his message once more. "Me. I will be going alone on this particular trip."

Darryl stared at him blankly, his visible eye widening slowly as what Bookman said sunk in.

"You..." Darryl stammered lightly, unable to resist the slight shake in his voice as he thought over what the man meant. "You're leaving me behind?" He questioned. "Why?" Bookman sighed and placed his spoon down, folding his hands over his bowl and meeting the boy's eyes squarely.

"It would only be for a few days, Darryl." He said sternly. "Four or five days, tops. Absolutely nothing to concern yourself with." Darryl relaxed a bit, sighing and resumed eating. Bookman continued to watch him. "All you need to do is go to the town and get me what I need."

"Yes, Bookman." The meal continued in silence for a moment. Darryl looked up for a moment, eyes trailing the room around them.

Their home for the moment was small, but big enough for the two of them and the tons of books that seemed to follow them where they went. They used the main room as a dining room and study, littering books in piles all over the room; there was a basement below that served as Darryl's room whenever he didn't have all nighters to pull. There were three doorways connected to the main room: one leading into the kitchen, one leading towards Bookman's own room, and one doorway leading outdoors.

Beyond their door was a field of grass, the same field that kept them distant from the village just beyond it. The separation was to the liking of both parties: Darryl and Bookman tended to keep to themselves whenever they moved anywhere, Bookman preferring to teach the red head about history that no one but them really cared about and Darryl soaking up as much information he could, studying intently to the point of not really socializing with anyone unnecessarily. The village they currently were staying in had had a subtle dislike of any traveler staying within their midst, so the fact that they could live in the village and not have to actually interact with its people made the arrangement perfect.

Which lead to Darryl's current reluctance of going into the town- - -the whole situation would just be awkward.

"What books do you want me to get?" Darryl asked finally, resuming his eating. Bookman didn't look up from his food, his eyes shut as he thought over what he needed to go on his journey.

"I'll make you a list." Bookman muttered distractedly. Darryl gaped at him.

"Aw, come on, Gramps, I don't need a list!" He said, his voice bordering on a whine that he tried to keep out of his voice. "I can remember it perfectly, you know I can!"

"The list is not for you." Bookman snapped. "It is for the book keeper." Darryl blinked in slight surprise before picking up his spoon once more and finishing his food.

"I'll get ready." He said, standing and heading towards the door leading outside. The door to the basement was located right next to it, meaning the red head didn't half to walk too far to get to his quarters. "Then I'll come back for that list, I guess." Bookman nodded once, pulling a piece of paper towards him and beginning to write with the pen always on him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Here we go again." Darryl rubbed the back of his head, walking into the village. Waving at the baker man's daughter, a six year old girl with a bright smile and cheerful blue eyes (one of the few children who hadn't inherited her parents' subtle dislike of travelers), Darryl walked past her and into the book shop next to the small bakery.

"Ah, hello, Bookman Junior." A voice drawled from behind a pile of books. Darryl grinned and stalked over to said pile, leaning over the topmost book to peer down at the book keeper.

He was a tall man, if he ever stood (not that Darryl had seen thus far, but as he was always sprawled out behind a different pile of books each time he had come in, Darryl figured the man moved sometimes), with bright red hair that matched Darryl's own. The book keeper's face was covered partially by the wild red locks and a white mask that covered the right half of his face (he had a different story each time Darryl asked about it...which made him get annoyed and stop asking). He had a drawl in his voice every time he spoke, as well as a glass of any type of alcohol, though usually wine, somewhere around his general vicinity.

The book keeper's name was Cross Marian, and Darryl had never seen a book keeper that was a bigger flirt or alcoholic in any town he had ever been in.

"Good morning, Cross." Darryl said, peering down at the man (he had long since given up on getting Cross to call him 'Darryl', deciding it was a lost cause). Cross grunted slightly.

"Is it morning already?" He muttered in his drawl, a hand reaching up and placing itself firmly against his head, though he made no move to get up and continued his sprawled, half-against-the-wall position on the floor. "Good God." Darryl snickered, pulling out a list of books the old man asked him to get and dropping his hand written list on Cross's outstretched legs.

"Yes." Darryl answered cheekily. "What, did you think the sunlight was nothing more than a dream of you approaching Heaven or something?" Cross growled under his breath.

"Don't ask such foolish questions, idiot." Cross snapped, his eye snapping up in time to see a paper covered in a familiar scrawl fluttering into his lap. "What's this, then?"

"Bookman's order." Darryl replied, his grin widening when Cross began muttering curses at Bookman under his breath.

"Of course, he chooses the books that aren't easy to get." Cross swore again, one hand holding the list up so he could see it and the other bracing him against the floor. "That means I have to get up..."

"I'll get them." Darryl offered, already turning to scour the bookshelves. "As usual." He added under his breath good-naturedly. Darryl loved searching through books. Even as a child, books were the thing he treasured the most. He was used to wandering through the shelves, reading anything he wanted. His habit had ultimately led him to Bookman.

"No, no." Darryl blinked in surprise and turned around to see Cross stumbling to his feet. "Like I said, he chose books that aren't easy to get." He smirked down at Darryl (he was taller than Darryl was, something Darryl hadn't been expecting for some reason, which annoyed him greatly), and walked past him. "These books aren't just stored in the shelves, you know."

"Wow, really?" Darryl followed, intrigued. Cross stopped, glancing at him over his shoulder.

"Yes, really." He drawled. Darryl grinned sheepishly, stopping by the edge of a bookshelf. "These books are rare items that generally only have one copy." Darryl's eyes widened, and he stepped forward, sheepishness gone and interest taking its place.

"That's amazing," He breathed, his thirst for knowledge suddenly spiked, "how on earth did you acquire them?" Cross's smirk widened, and Darryl had the sinking feeling he wouldn't like the answer the man was about to give him. "You know, on second thought- - -"

"I stole them." The man answered flippantly. Darryl groaned, hitting his head against the bookshelf as Cross, whistling, moved past the enormous pile of books that covered the desk and moved into the storage part of the book shop- - -the upper part of the building, where Cross lived when he wasn't in the shop or out in the bar.

Darryl felt badly for the boy Cross took in. He had never met him, as the kid was gone about a year before he and Bookman found the town, but Cross had mentioned him once when Darryl had first walked in. Evidently, the boy worked as the book keeper in a nearby castle, but where it was Cross didn't care to know. According to the red-haired book keeper, he kicked Allen (his charge) off the carriage halfway to the village one day on a rumor of a nearby castle and left him to work in their library. Cross hasn't heard from the boy since, but he wasn't worried- - -according to the man, Allen was very resourceful, and could be very convincing when he wanted to be, so getting the job would be easy for him.

And so what if, according to Cross, the boy was directionally challenged? Allen could surely find a castle that was only rumored to be in the forest, no problem.

For a while, Darryl wondered how the townspeople could survive having a man like Cross in their midst, an alcoholic that flirted and (if he was to be believed) made many women into lovers; then he learned, through one of the twelve year old boys that usually played in the fields separating his current home from the village, that Cross had grown up in the village.

Which, in turn, had spiked pity for the people in Darryl's mind. no one should have to deal with a man like that.

The man's boots alerted Darryl to Cross's return, and he took his head off the book shelf to face him properly.

"So, how did Bookman learn you had these if they're so rare?" He asked, reaching towards Cross to take the books from him. Cross shrugged, allowing Darryl to simply take the books as he walked past him to one of the stacks.

"The old man owes me now," He called over his shoulder. "for making me get up so early in the morning." Darryl snorted and, holding the books carefully, moved towards the door.

"And, Darryl?" The boy turned to see the other, surprised by the sudden use of his name. Cross stood with his back to him, head staring out the window by the desk thoughtfully until he was sure he had Darryl's full attention. There was silence for a few moments before Darryl broke it.

"Yes, Cross?"

"If you happen to run into a boy named Allen Walker," Darryl jumped slightly at the name of the boy Cross abandoned in the woods, "tell him that his Master has several debts he needs to pay off as soon as possible, will you?" Darryl rolled his eyes but nodded once, shaking his head right after and muttering something that sounded suspiciously like 'Typical Cross...'. He turned to leave, but Cross stopped him one more time. "Lavi is a perfect name to give under extrenuous circumstances." Darryl froze.

"What?" He asked, turning once more to face Cross; however, the man had disappeared already behind a pile of books, and there was no answering call. Sighing lightly, Darryl left the book shop, thinking so hard about Cross's last words that he didn't wave or smile at the baker's daughter, still playing in front of the bakery.

Inside the shop, Cross stared into the morning sky. If rumors were to be believed, this boy had an enormous job to do. Silently, the book keeper wished the Bookman's charge luck.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"All right, you're all packed." Darryl stood in the doorway of the kitchen, looking into the dining room as Bookman piled the last of his bags by the front door. "You're taking a lot of stuff for a five day trip, old man." Bookman glared at Darryl in his critical way, trying to stop any further questions from the boy. Darryl steadfastly ignored it. "I mean, this stuff's good for at least a two or three weeks. Where are you going that requires you to take that much stuff?"

Instead of an answer, a scroll hit Darryl's forehead, making him yelp in surprise and slight pain, his hand going towards the red mark on his face.

"OW, that hurt, you old panda!" He yelled, glaring at the smaller man. Bookman glared back, throwing another scroll and hitting Darryl in the shoulder.

"Haven't I taught you yet to not question your master?" Bookman snapped back when Darryl yelped again. "I said before that it's no business of yours where I am headed! And stop calling me that!" Darryl made a face when Bookman turned to make sure he had everything. Bookman, in turn, waited until he had turned to throw a book at the back of his head this time. Darryl was thrown slightly off-balance by the offending projectile, and he glared at Bookman when the old man walked calmly into the room. "I shall leave first thing in the morning." He called back, shutting the door firmly behind him.

"Yea, and good riddance." Darryl grumbled without any real anger or venom in his voice, his hands rubbing the aching places on his head as he snuck into his own quarters. Laying back and spreading his arms out across his make shift bed, Darryl stared at the ceiling in his room.

The basement was big, taking up as much space as the floor of their house, which made it the perfect place to put their many books they carried with them. In one corner of the room, the one closest to the door, was a bed of straw they had found gathering in the basement, as well as Darryl's bags and clothes. The rest of the space was preoccupied by books that generally fit in an organized manner, though how Bookman managed to pack all the books into bags and have them able to carry them all was a mystery to Darryl.

Why had Cross told him that? He asked himself. As far as he knew, Allen was still lost in the woods, searching for a rumored castle and getting hopelessly lost. Rarely had Darryl heard of anyone, even someone who wasn't directionally challenged, surviving in the woods for more than a year and still be able to meet people alive.

And why had Cross given him a new name to consider? Bookman would most likely not appreciate a new alias so quickly, especially since 'Darryl' had only been around for a short few weeks. The old man was not fond of putting names 'to rest' so quickly. Darryl made a slight face- - -'Lavi' was not a name he would have chosen for himself in any circumstance. The name itself sounded familiar, like something he had read in one of his many books a few years back, but Darryl was too tired to place it at the moment, the lack of sleep from the night before catching up with him.

Making himself a bit more comfortable, Darryl closed his eyes and slept.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dark eyes watched the boy walk outside, muttering under his breath as he headed towards the shelter of the basement. They looked him over slowly- - -bright red hair, a green headband that was slowly falling out of its position, an eye patch over the right eye, dark clothes.

"So." The watcher muttered under his breath as the boy disappeared. "Is this the boy who would fix everything?" His mind raced as he thought of a way to somehow lead the boy to his proper path.

Idea in mind, the figure moved to put his plan in action before the sun rose.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darryl woke the next morning to utter silence.

Yawning as he sat up, he rubbed his good eye and began walking towards the door that would lead him out doors, years of practice allowing him to easily walk around the pillars of books while blind. Going out and groaning when the sun hit his face, Darryl moved quickly and entered the house he shared with his mentor.

"You gone yet, Gramps?" He yelled out. The house was silent, and Darryl couldn't help the smirk that covered his face when he glanced carefully at the sun through the window and discovered he had, yet again, slept in and missed the old man's leaving.

Shaking his head, Darryl left the house and headed towards the village; despite the general unfriendly feeling of the place, anything was better than hanging around an empty house.

He was almost at the village when a tall man stopped him. His eyes were dark, looking over Darryl carefully as he blocked the red head's path. Darryl couldn't see much about him- - -he wore a dark top hat and a dark cloak (surprising, considering the weather was relatively warm, but he didn't seem to notice or care), though clear gold eyes were visible through the dark.

"Hello." His voice was deep and slightly raspy, sounding pleasant yet cold. "My name is Adam." Darryl looked him over once more, an unpleasant feeling starting in his stomach.

"Pleasure." He managed to get out. Licking his lips lightly, Darryl moved to edge around him. "Now, if you'll please excuse me, I need to get to the village." Bowing slightly, Darryl stopped when the man backed up a few steps, moving to block him once more.

"What's your rush?" Adam asked curiously, his cold voice becoming even colder. Darryl backed up a few steps, tilting his head slightly at the strange reaction of the man. There was a standstill, Adam's gold eyes keeping a firm gaze into Darryl's emerald. He took a step forward, which caused Darryl to step back to keep the distance between them- - -Adam was severely terrifying, slowly but surely making Darryl feel like a rabbit under the watchful gaze of a predator.

"Oh, hello, young man." Another man, an older one with grey hair and a grey mustache, called out. They both turned, Darryl seeing some sort of salvation in the other man, especially when Adam let out something that sounded like a snarl.

"I'll see you later." Adam hissed at him, all but running past the other man. The other man moved around him easily, undeterred by Adam's rush.

"Thanks." Darryl breathed at him. The old man looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and Darryl noticed the art supplies with him for the first time.

"Oh, no." The man smiled, shifting a sketchbook under his arm. "I'm Froi Tiedoll. I had remembered that there was a hill nearby, with a wonderful view of the town. I'm just headed there now, to paint in some peace and quiet. Would you like to join me?" Darryl smiled slightly, shaking his head.

"I'm just heading into the village. Maybe another time." The old man nodded, a smile on his face that was gentle and soothing.

"As you wish." Whistling, Tiedoll turned and continued walking. Darryl chuckled a bit before heading back into the village.

"So that's him, huh?" Tiedoll looked to the sky with a hopeful smile. Stopping a bit earlier than planned, Tiedoll took the sketchbook out from under his arm, tracing a quick picture of the boy he had just met onto the sheets. "Such a wonderful young man." Finishing quickly, Tiedoll smiled once more at the picture. "The best of luck to you, my boy." Tearing the picture out of the sketchbook, Tiedoll placed it gently in a different book, after a picture of one of the boys he took in, a violent but caring boy named Kanda Yuu. "The best of luck." 


	3. Carry On

Hello everyone. How are you? XD I just wanna thank everyone who's reviewed, favorite-ed XD, and alerted this story so far (like, four of you, haha) I apologize now, I suppose: I feel as though this is a poor excuse for a chapter, but...ah, well.

d-gray-geek: yes, this is my twisted version of beauty and the beast, inspired by bookkbaby's 'something there' on YouTube (a wonderful video, i assure you xD haha). And yes, I'm rather anxious to have them meet as well- - -I feel as though I'm virtually skipping over everything to rush to that chapter, which may not be good. XD no, it's not a reincarnation deal- - -I don't think. At the moment, the only people who actually know everything is Cross and Tiedoll, and how they know is most likely going to be explained in the middle/end of the fic...maybe, haha. but thank you for your support XD

anyway, as always, characters may be out of character, and some (read, many) things could be inaccurate. At any rate, read, enjoy, and don't forget to review! XD

Chapter 3

Bookman woke early the day he left. Aware the Darryl was sleeping in, as usual, Bookman took it upon himself to load what he needed onto the horse he would be taking- - -a strong, young black horse good for traveling long distances. He moved quickly but quietly, loading up everything in an efficient manner. There was a peaceful silence as he worked, the one that happens in the morning when only one person is awake to enjoy it, trying not to wake anyone else up.

Bookman glanced sharply at the field surrounding the house he shared with his charge, his skin crawling uneasily. He stood from his position, bent over to tie everything together, his black ringed eyes taking in everything they could in either direction.

"Hello." He called out quietly yet sharply. "Is anyone there?" Silence was his answer, the grass bending slightly in the early morning wind. Bookman pursed his lips and turned back to his belongings. There was a slightly uncomfortable feeling Bookman didn't want to name at the moment, and he had the sudden, passing urge to wake Darryl to come with him.

He squashed that feeling violently as he made sure everything was in order for him to leave. Darryl was old enough to take care of himself, and had always been able to take care of himself. Bookman refused to take the boy with him just because he was hit with a sudden case of paranoia.

Satisfied that everything was arranged properly, Bookman got on the horse and glanced once more at the house and the field surrounding it. Nodding once when he saw nothing in particular out of order, Bookman turned the horse and urged him on. The animal obeyed, walking down the path Bookman lead him.

When they got to the edge of the field, Bookman stopped the horse once more when something moved in the shadows of the grass. He searched the field with his eyes critically before snorting to himself and shaking his head- - -clearly, traveling with Darryl for so long had some sort of lasting effect; he had been fine traveling alone before he met the boy.

"Next thing you know, I'll be spewing nonsense about Akuma existing." Bookman sniffed. He turned the horse one more time and urged him on, going through the village quickly to get through the forest just beyond it as soon as possible.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darryl strolled through the village much later in the day than his mentor, hands behind his head as he glanced around. He hadn't been in the town long enough to know where everything was, beside the book shop he went to at least once a week; now that Bookman had left and not given him any instructions on what to do the days he was gone, Darryl decided to lose himself in the town and see where everything was.

He was blatantly disregarding the distrustful looks from the older villagers, smiling and playing with the younger children easily. The children were easily amused, and Darryl found that the more he entertain the children, the more likely it was he would earn a place in the town. Not that the people in it would trust him right away, or at all for that matter, but the parents were grateful that their children were occupied with something other than terrorizing the working parties in town.

He had just started a game where the girls were pretending to be princesses captured by a terrifying monster (a role Darryl found himself in despite his protests), and the boys were valiant knights trying to rescue their 'damsels in distress' (though one boy tried to just grab a girl; the blonde girl pushed the brunette boy so hard he stumbled back and fell, telling him that he couldn't rescue her until he defeated Darryl) when Darryl felt himself fall back into someone.

Something was wedged into his back, and he tilted his head to cone face to face with the man he had run into earlier- - - Froi Tiedoll. The older man smiled at him, warmth in his eyes.

"Enjoying yourself, son?" He asked kindly. Behind them, the children whined for their 'monster'. Darryl grinned and nodded; with a quick 'pardon me, sir', he returned to the game and chased the boys down the street, the girls shrieking in glee and going after them as well.

Hours later, night found Darryl carrying several kids- - -two or three cling to his neck, more aware and able to hold on than the three he was holding under one arm and the one he was handing to the boy's parents as carefully as he could. He smiled, insisting that it was no problem when the mother thanked him earnestly for allowing her boy to play with them and making sure he got home safely. Darryl shifted slightly so that the boys under his arm were balanced a bit better as he asked who the next boy's parents were and where they lived. After getting pointed in the right direction, Darryl bowed his head and left, throwing a 'good night, thanks' over his shoulder.

"Are we home yet?" A girl asked sleepily, sighing into his neck. "I wanna sleep."

"Almost there," Darryl promised. "Isn't that your house there, Gabriella?" The girl looked up, making a soft noise of agreement as she nodded against his neck. After leaving Gabriella and her brother with their parents, Darryl looked down. He still had four children, and the girl's mother smiled at him gently.

"You're in luck." She said. Darryl blinked at her and she pointed down the row of houses that led to the fields by his own home. "They all live down in this direction. Isn't that where you live as well?"

"It is." Darryl said gratefully, adjusting the children he had left. "Thank you very much."

"No, thank you for allowing them to play with you." She stood by the door for a moment, watching him walk away. "Stay safe!" She called after him. Darryl turned in surprise, but she was already closing the door, which cut off any chance he had to reply. With a warm smile, Darryl continued to bring the kids home.

Completely unaware of the eyes following him as he left the kids in the arms of their parents, or the body stealthily following him until he opened the doors to the basement where he slept.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhode sat beside her bear, both having been transported to her Uncle Tyki's room by the tray that had once been a rather tall man who served as their butler. Tyki was looking at a corner of his room, staring at what seemed to be a rose that was not yet in bloom, but was slowly and surely getting to the blood red bloom everyone loved and a couple of infant butterflies attempting to get out of the cover they were in.

Lulubell lay curled on Tyki's other side, the only one out of the whole castle who seemed unaffected by the whole ordeal. Her back was pressed against Tyki's thigh, and she enjoyed having Tyki pet her (which he had started a few days after he got slightly used to seeing inanimate objects moving around- - -'slightly' meaning that he had no longer jumped when the teapot that was Lenalee addressed him or the candlestick that had once been a slightly small fifteen year old Allen moved to light what Tyki needed to see).

"Uncle Tyki?" She ventured. Tyki glanced at her but didn't say anything, which made Rhode swallow slightly and inch closer.

"What are you doing, Lero?" Rhode's eyes moved towards the bear quickly, despite the voice coming from her.

"Shut up, Lero!" She hissed back in her smooth, clear voice. The bear didn't move, but it seemed to glare at Rhode.

"Rhode-tama, please listen, Lero!" The high pitchy, scratchy voice had the teacup that was his niece turn furiously.

"Be quiet, stupid bear." She said, anger dripping off her words. "Let me talk to Uncle Tyki!" There was a few seconds of silence after her fierce declaration. Satisfied, Rhode hopped up to Tyki's other leg and peered up at him. "It's been a year." She said softly.

"That's right." Tyki picked up the girl by her gold handle, the reminder of her human eyes. "What's on your mind, darling?"

"Will we ever go back to normal?" She asked. Blinking quickly, Rhode squirmed in her uncle's grasp until he placed her on the bed again. "It's still strange, sleeping in the pantry with Lenalee and everyone else, and not eating at all." Her violet eyes roamed the dark room.

Throughout the year, they had gotten used to each other. They all followed rules that had never been properly laid out to them: Allen still worked in their library, carefully avoiding dripping any melted wax on the books he had forcefully grown to treasure; Lenalee somehow managed to cook meals for Tyki, standing in the middle of the room and shouting orders to the other objects; Kanda, one of their more harsher butlers, still kept them running on schedule, though the change Hevlaska put him through by turning him into a walking clock infuriated him- - -he still snapped at everyone, even Lenalee.

Skinn, Tyki had found out a few days after he had gotten used to everyone, had really turned into the role the Millennium Earl had put him in. The man had been turned into some form of gargoyle positioned at the front entrance of the castle. He was placed in an alcove just above the door, not visible until one was right up to the door, but able to see someone headed their way long before they even knocked. He was one of the very, very few unable to move from where he was perched, but Skinn didn't seem to mind- - -especially when Rhode convinced Lenalee to let the younger take sweet things up to him when she could.

Jasdevi was in the same position, but at the South part of the castle. The two boys stayed where they were as well, and despite not getting along with each other when they found them, Devitto and Jasdero were now tolerant of each other- - -to a point. Though Devitto claimed their minds were one mind now rather than the two separate beings they had been, the black-haired boy definitely had more of a tolerance for the blonde.

The Noah family as a whole had changed in the year that passed, which was no doubt what Hevlaska had wanted. Lulubell seemed more outspoken, as she couldn't use her words to order anyone around, and she seemed more thankful to anyone who did what she implied she wanted done. Jasdero and Devitto didn't fight over every little thing (most likely- - -Devitto admitted then sharing a mind, so they might actually argue more than ever, just silently). Skinn was...calmer, and though his anger was still roused when he couldn't get anything sweet, he didn't fly into a murderous rage at whomever it was that brought him food. Even Rhode, who had to spend more time with Lenalee being a teacup and having to stay in the kitchen, was significantly less sadistic than she was before Hevlaska came.

And, in a strange way, all respected Tyki as head of the household and their new leader. The servants hastened to do as he told them, physically capable of doing it or not (he learned quickly to watch his orders after Lenalee nearly broke herself on the floor of the dining room); the Noah family listened when he spoke to them and generally followed what he said whether they agreed with it or not. It stunned him, but as the year passed he slowly got used to it.

"I don't know, Rhode." Tyki sighed, knowing what the girl meant by the change feeling strange. He missed the oddest things- - -the fights between Jasdero, Devitto, and Skinn, helping Rhode with her homework (though, admittedly, he didn't do a good job of properly helping her, but that's not the point), even hugging the smaller girl and having her hug back. He wanted to hear Lulubell's voice again (she didn't speak much, but she spoke), and he even wanted the servants back to normal, if only so that he wouldn't walk into the kitchen or library and have to stumble on a scene where the knives flew through the air to cut and the books fought each other for places on the shelves thanks to Allen and Kanda's fighting.

"I don't understand the point of this." Rhode exploded suddenly. Lulubell turned her gaze to her, seemingly unaffected by the girl's outburst, though her tail twitched in silent agreement. "No one ever comes through here, and if they do it's because they're hopelessly lost. Finding this castle terrifies them and they always leave almost as soon as they arrive. How are you supposed to- - -" She struggled with her words as the task that Hevlaska had given Tyki came to mind. After a few moments, she seemed to deflate. "How can anyone love you when they leave before they can even meet you?" She whispered. Her words, despite not meaning to hurt, made Tyki wince at the reminder. There had been an odd surge of travelers, but they had left, terrified beyond words, when Lenalee came with Rhode to offer them tea.

Before Tyki could respond, there was a sound of cluttering outside his door. Lulubell jumped off the bed, pawing at the door and mewling, Tyki following after her and pulling the door open to find everyone rushing towards their 'usual' positions by the main hallway. Grabbing a candlestick directing everyone where to go, Tyki turned it to face him.

"What's going on?" He asked harshly. The candlestick blinked before giving a nervous smile.

"Skinn Bolic saw someone coming." He answered. "Says he entered the forest earlier today, and got himself lost. He's headed in this direction."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bookman snorted angrily, the horse going no faster than a walk as he fought his way through the forest.

"This is absolutely ridiculous." The old man grumbled, ducking another branch. "Absolutely ridiculous. How on earth did I get lost?" The hand not holding the reins went instinctively to his side, where he had placed the map he had gotten only to remember the paper had been lost only a few hours into the journey, though how it was lost, Bookman wasn't sure. He had carefully placed the map on him before he left, but when Bookman had went to pull it out to make sure he was going in the right direction, it had been gone. Grumbling some more, Bookman forced the horse to a stop.

The forest was completely unfamiliar to the old man, having never been in the general area before. Glancing around slightly, Bookman saw he had two options- - -a path that led down the forest, no doubt leading him deeper into it as the trees seemed to get gnarled and closer together, the sunlight being blocked making the path look darker and more ominous; and a path that was brighter, more clear looking than the other.

Bookman sniffed.

"Let it be said," He started firmly, "that even in the face of undiscovered knowledge, Bookmen are not fools." With that, he got back on the horse and went down the lighter path.

By nightfall, the forest was still unrecognizable. Bookman snarled wordlessly, angry with himself for losing the map so easily, and when he looked up once more to survey his surroundings, he saw the top of what appeared to be a castle. Intrigued, and hoping they would have food and perhaps allow him to rest, Bookman urged his horse in the direction he saw the building.

The horse followed willingly in the direction Bookman urged him in, and in what seemed like no time at all they were in front of the iron gates separating them from the castle. Hesitantly, Bookman slid off the horse and touched the cool metal.

"Hello?" He called courteously, pushing the bars open. "Is there anyone here?" Silence met his call. Bookman sighed shortly, turning and grabbing the reins of the horse before bringing the animal in with him. Silence followed them up to the door; Bookman had just lifted his hand to knock when something further up caught his eye. Tilting his head back, his ringed eyes widened in surprise to see a statue glaring down at him, bigger than he was even though it stood proudly above him.

The door pulled open and after a moment, as well as another good look at the gargoyle above the door, Bookman stepped in.

"Hello?" He made his way down the dark hall, looking around to try and see details of the hallway he was in. Behind him, the door slowly creaked shut, leaving the old man incomplete darkness. The man sighed through his nose in annoyance but continued on- - -he needed tower the master of the castle in hopes of food and a room.

"This is not a good idea!" Came suddenly from his right in a tight, hissed voice, and Bookman swung to his side, arms raised in defense.

"No one told you to follow me, BaKanda." Another voice hissed back, though it came from further down the hall. Curious, Bookman followed the voice but found no one in the area. His hand, trailing along the wall, found a tabletop and he stopped, feeling around the surface until his hand hit something cool. Picking it up slowly, Bookman felt the general shape- - -a candlestick.

With a slightly triumphant smile, the old man dug in his clothes until he found the matchbox he had been carrying with him. Striking the match, Bookman lit the candles, holding the holder tightly in his fist as he looked around the hallway and made his way towards whatever room it took him to

"Ow, ow..." Bookman, startled by the sudden whimper, glanced around the room he found himself in- - -a dining room. Placing the candle holder down on the table, Bookman looked over it critically.

It was a dark wood, either from the poor lighting or the type of wood used for the table. The state of the table was wonderful- - -it was new, or handled with a great amount of care and attention. What intrigued Bookman the most was the layer of dust that had settled on it; clearly, the room had been abandoned for some time now.

"OW!" Bookman jumped slightly as he finally located the pained cries he had been hearing when he picked up the candlestick. The silver object glared at him from where he dropped it on the table. "That hurts. Why is it always me that it happens to?"

"I beg your pardon?" Bookman asked firmly, ringed eyes narrowed in study as he looked the object over. The middle candle had a bright red tattoo on it, dropping down into silver eyes that matched the silver holder. One candle arm was firm and strong, holding the candle without wavering, while the other was, in a sense of the word, destroyed; it was smaller, tarnished and mangled, and the candlestick seemed to favor it more, trying and failing to hide it from sight.

"Never mind." The candle sighed. It seemed to take a moment to collect itself before a wide, friendly smile took the place of the glare. "My name is Allen Walker. Pleased to meet you, sir."

"Amazing." Bookman muttered under his breath. Somehow, the word was heard by Allen and his eyes widened comically, clearly not expecting the word. Bookman ignored him, carefully tilting the talking candlestick in as many directions as he could, studying the object. "You can talk?"

"Th-That's right..."

"Can you move as well?" Allen nodded, demonstrating by moving the candle arms, and Bookman's eyes lit up in interest.

"Allen?" A female voice came from the door, and both turned to face whomever it was, Allen looking down at the floor at the familiar voice and Bookman looking straight ahead. "Allen, I heard there was someone- - -"

A teapot, violet to match the teacup behind her, froze in surprise at seeing Bookman standing by Allen, his own dark eyes dropping to meet hers. Her mouth, having dropped in her shock, wavered for a moment before snapping shut.

"I...suppose I'll put some tea on?" She said weakly. Behind her, the teacup snorted.

"Why?" She asked sourly. "It's only a matter of time before he runs away." The teacup hopped around the pot, and she seemed to make a face as she studied him. "Besides, he's _old_. He's practically my great-grandfather! He's way to old for Uncle Tyki!"

"Rhode! Manners!" The teapot scolded at the same time Bookman sputtered with indignation, not sure what to say to a talking teacup. In response, the teacup- - -Rhode, evidently- - -stuck her tongue out. "Don't mind her." The teapot sighed, moving towards the old man. "My name is Lenalee Lee. Would you like some tea?"

"I would, thank you." Bookman glanced around. "And, if you wouldn't mind, a room."

"I'll go inform the master you're here." Lenalee said, smiling. "And get started on your tea. Come along, Rhode."

"I wanna stay and talk!" Rhode whined. Lenalee smiled at her.

"You can talk later, Rhode." She said. "After all, you're the only teacup glued to my side all hours of the day." Rhode seemed to perk up a bit, but was still hesitant. "Besides, I thought you would want to talk to your uncle."

"Ok, I'm coming!" Rhode sang out happily, never one to pass up an opportunity to see and hopefully play with her uncle, despite having been in his presence not even half an hour ago.

"We'll be back soon." Lenalee promised, leaving Allen and Bookman alone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ah, Uncle Tyki!" Rhode sang out, moving ahead of Lenalee excitedly and hopping as high as she could into the air to get the attention she wanted. "Uncle Tyki!"

"Yes, Rhode?" The man asked, amusement in his eyes, though none could really tell because of the mask.

"We saw the lost traveler!" Rhode giggled. "He's old!" Lenalee smiled exasperatedly at the girl's description.

"He wants some food and a room." She said. Tyki raised an eyebrow.

"Did he request this before or after he saw you talk?" He asked dryly. "I have no inclination to room someone who is going to leave in a rush in twenty minutes."

"I heard him talking to Allen." Lenalee offered. Tyki's eyes snapped to the teapot, his mouth slightly opened in surprise. "And I offered to speak to you about giving him a room." There was silence as Tyki thought over what Lenalee had just told him. "I think he's more interested in us than afraid of us." She added a moment later, as if it would help influence Tyki's final decision. He glanced at her briefly and locked eyes with Rhode for a moment before sighing lightly, running a clawed hand through his long hair in his habitual manner.

"Show him to a guest room." Tyki said finally. "He may stay for a few days." 


	4. When It's Time

Hey, hi, how are ya? XD um, so, things are progressing. Slowly, but surely. XD haha I shall warn you (whomever is reading this) now, the ending of this chapter is odd and slightly random. I absolutely couldn't resist the ending, despite what happens. Thank you, those of you who review and favorite/alert and whatnot. As always, characters may be out of character, and some (read, many) things could be inaccurate.

d-gray-geek: haha a common thread! XD really, it doesn't? It does to me, strange.. XD anyway, I think you're right...oops. Haha ah well, that can be explained later too, maybe, with Cross and Tiedoll. XD

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 4

Darryl sat up slowly, feeling a strange stiffness in his back. Twisting to his right slowly, he groaned in relief as several cracks resonated up his spine. He repeated the action on his left, then stood up. Swaying slightly, Darryl yawned widely and pulled on the shirt he discarded the night before, running his fingers through his hair without thinking, his sleep-filled emerald eye looking for his headband.

Pounding was heard suddenly, on the doorway to his right- - -or was it his left? Darryl couldn't be sure at the moment- - -and with a slight groan, he abandoned the search for his headband, pushing his bangs out of his eye with one hand and pushing against the doors to the basement with the other.

"Yea, what is it?" He asked groggily. The pounding stopped, and an unfamiliar yet familiar figure cloaked in black turned to face him. Darryl felt his blood freeze, the sight of the man waking him fully.

"Good morning." Darryl felt a chill go up his spine. "How are you today?"

"I..." Darryl knew he probably looked like a fish out of water, what with the way his mouth was gaping, but for some reason his ability to speak failed him greatly at the moment and all he could do was stare. "Uh, g-good morning." He mentally shook himself- - -what was he thinking, stammering like an idiot? He had never had a problem with speaking, ever, so why was it suddenly so difficult for him? Refusing to allow the situation get the better of him, Darryl physically shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Your name is...Adam, right?"

"Correct." The man drawled in a way similar to Cross's. Instead of feeling amusement or familiarity with his manner of speaking, like he usually felt with Cross, Darryl felt another spike of fear course through him.

He squashed the feeling violently- - -despite being horrifically creepy, this man had not given Darryl any reason to be afraid of him or his presence. Darryl was acting stupid, assuming the worst about the man before him as he had a habit of doing (something Bookman scolded him greatly for). With that in mind, Darryl forced a wide grin on his face which froze at the man's next words.

"I don't believe I ever had the pleasure of knowing your name." Darryl wanted to hit himself- - -that was right, he had ended up acting so stupidly the last time they met he hadn't even given Adam his own name.

"My apologies." Darryl flashed another bright, albeit sheepish, smile. "My name is Darryl. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He held his hand out, expecting the other to take it.

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you." Adam took his hand in his gloved one; however, instead of shaking it, the man brought it to his lips as he bowed slightly. Eyes wide and a flush taking over his face, Darryl yanked his hand back as soon as Adam released it, clutching it to his chest with the other hand. Adam chuckled at his reaction, which made Darryl flush harder.

"R-Right." Darryl coughed into his hand uncomfortably. "Ah, well, um..." He still felt tongue-tied and it annoyed him to no end, but honestly- - -what does one say to the person who has most likely been knocking on your door before you were awake?

"Come to lunch with me." Darryl blinked at the sudden order disguised as an invitation and the outstretched hand that appeared in his vision. Adam waited patiently as Darryl gaped at him once more.

Who was this man, that he thought he could more or less order Darryl around and expect him to obey mindlessly? Before he could open his mouth, Adam spoke again.

"Well? Hurry up! Get dressed and come to lunch with me!" Evidently, his patience was a short thing, one that banished in an instant.

"No." There was no outward sign that Adam heard what he said, given that his face was covered, but Darryl could feel the mildly warm air around them freeze as soon as the word left his lips.

"I beg your pardon?" Adam's voice asked coolly. Darryl swallowed heavily, but kept his gaze firm.

"I said no." Darryl forced a smile on his face, trying to ignore the rapidly cooling atmosphere around them. "I have plans today, actually, some stuff that Bookman assigned me to do." Adam studied him for a few moments before nodding once, slowly, and taking a step back.

"Perhaps later, then." Darryl opened his mouth to decline once more, to lie through his teeth and say that his assignment would last late into the night, but Adam touched the brim of his hat, turned, and walked away.

Darryl leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, glaring at the man whose face he hasn't seen yet. Shaking his head in disbelief as he ran the situation in his mind, Darryl turned into the house and shut the door firmly, moving to the kitchen to find something to eat and praying he didn't accidentally set something on fire...again.

He had been away from the door for five minutes before bolting to it once more and sliding the lock into place- - -a natural thing to have done, considering he was home alone in a semi-strange town (the argument sounded much more plausible in his mind); something that had absolutely nothing to do with the sudden chill that racked Darryl's body, as if Adam had managed to follow him into his house even though he saw the man walk back towards the village.

Darryl placed his forehead against the door and took several deep breaths, calming himself enough to go back to the kitchen for food.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"This is stupid." Allen sighed heavily for the third time, his eye twitching slightly. Beside him stood a dark clock, the deep blue hands on his face moving irritably as the center holding them together twitched every now and then. The pendulum inside him moved steadily, creating a calming movement that, combined with the steady _tick tick tick tick_ the hands created as they slowly worked their way across his face, created a rather soothing sound.

To Allen, the sound was anything but soothing, especially with the way his companion had been muttering and complaining the past half hour.

"Look, BaKanda," Allen started, rubbing the area over his red tattoo with the undeformed holder, ignoring the bristling and the automatic 'what was that, Baka Moyashi?' that followed. "You don't have to keep following me. In fact, I'd appreciate it if you _stopped_ following me." Kanda snorted, crossing the two dark pieces of wood that were currently passing for his arms and scowling.

"I'll stop when you stop making stupid decisions." He said decisively.

"I'm not a child, Kanda!" Allen snapped, ignoring his usual nickname and rounding furiously on the other.

"You're fifteen." Kanda snapped back. "And you still have no idea how to do anything other than shelve books!" Allen's eyes flashed angrily, but before he could speak, the door across them creaked open slowly. Kanda froze, closing his dark eyes and passing off as a regular clock; Allen turned towards the sound, pasting a smile on his face.

_This isn't over yet, BaKanda._

"Good morning, Bookman, sir." Allen said politely, smiling up at the older man. "Did you sleep well?"

"Indeed." Bookman agreed. Allen beamed and gestured for him to follow the candlestick down the hallway to the dining room.

"Follow me this way, and you can leave after you eat breakfast." Allen said. "I know last night you mentioned leaving right away, but surely you could spare a few moments for some food before you leave?" Bookman hesitated slightly, looking back in the room he had spent the night in.

He really ought to be leaving, Bookman mused. He was already a day behind, due to him getting inexplicably lost, and the sooner he got to his destination, the sooner he would be able to get back to his current home (if, he amended , Darryl hadn't accidentally blew it up cooking yet). And yet...

One look at Allen's pleading eyes, and Bookman found himself giving in.

"I suppose I could stay for breakfast." Bookman declared. Allen beamed at him again, relief clear in his features. Behind them came an irritated huff, which made Allen's smile falter slightly.

"This way!" He said cheerfully before Bookman could ask, taking off down the hallway quickly.

Kanda watched the two walk down the hall, his scowl deepening and becoming more menacing.

"Your face will stay like that if you keep it up, you know." Came an off-hand, sing-songed comment to his left, and he lowered his vision to see who spoke to him.

"What the hell do you want?" He snapped before he could stop himself, and the girl before him giggled.

"Careful, Kanda." She said, her voice playful and teasing though her eyes sharpened. "I may look like one of you, but don't forget I'm part of the Noah family. And if you had to, I dunno," She mock thought for a moment, then beamed wickedly, her voice turning sickly sweet and over caring, "leave, for some reason, well..." Rhode gestured with her gold handle in Allen's direction. "Who would watch Allen as..._protectively_, as you do?"

"What do you want?" Kanda asked again, through grit teeth as he struggled to keep his temper. Rhode turned and headed for the room Bookman slept in.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Tyki, have you seen Rhode?" Lenalee asked worriedly. Tyki turned to her, eyebrow raised though she couldn't really see it. "No one in the kitchens have seen her yet, and it's nearing breakfast time."

"I'm sure it's fine, Miss Lenalee." Tyki waved off her concern. Rhode had often disappeared in the castle, finding joy in losing herself in the huge stone hallways for hours. The memory of finding her asleep huddled in the corner of a hallway, something that happened many times, had the corners of Tyki's lips turning upwards in a fond smile. "After all, it was only yesterday she was saying how odd it was to still be a teacup- - -she could have gotten herself lost to find a sense of familiarity or normalcy. It has been quite a while since she explored the castle."

Lenalee smiled.

"I'm sure you're right, Tyki." She said hesitantly. Lulubell 'mew'ed at the girl and she seemed to jump. "Oh, you're right, Lulubell, it is breakfast time!" With a quick 'I'll be back!' thrown over her shoulder, Lenalee vanished down the hallway.

"Did you have to be so harsh?" Tyki asked dryly, pulling a book towards him and opening it to the last page he read the night before. Lulubell 'mew'ed again, standing and flicking her tail back and forth as she settled in Tyki's lap. "I am aware of that, Lulubell, but Miss Lenalee was just worried."

Lulubell flicked her ears back slightly, rubbing her face with her paw before curling up. A purr started deep in her throat when she was comfortable enough. Tyki laughed slightly, absentmindedly beginning to pet her as he read.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhode entered the room, leaving a furious and fuming Kanda in the hall. Curious, she ignored the room itself- - -she had been in virtually every room in the castle, and after a bit all the room details blurred together- - -and headed straight to the stuff piled by the bed.

"Now what have we here?" She mused to herself, wishing that she was in her normal human shape (not for the first time, and it would certainly not be the last time either) as she tried to look through their visitor's things.

The man had brought with him a few shoulder bags, with a couple change of clothes, a few books, and had a black jacket draped over the bed by it. The jacket itself looked clean and new, but the bags reminded her a bit of Lero- - -old, worn and patched, well used. Rhode frowned slightly at the mixed appearance.

An old man traveling alone, wearing a good, clean jacket with (she did a quick check of the jacket once more) silver buttons, but using travel worn bags to carry his things around; the image confused Rhode and her face scrunched up a bit.

"Who are you?" She muttered distractedly. Jumping onto one of the partly open bags, Rhode tried to peer into it to decipher the contents better.

She ended up leaning over too far and with a startled yelp, Rhode tumbled into the bag. Hitting the bottom of the bag, Rhode shook herself off and tried to regain her balance and get out of the bag. As she rolled around, she found herself facing a book just as worn as the bags. Curious, and no longer wanting to leave the bag (now that she thought about it, it was warm, something she was used to not having when she slept in the cupboard with Lenalee and everyone else in the kitchen), Rhode somehow managed to get the book partly open, enough for a sketch to fall out.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

A boy beamed back at her, his grin wide and happy. His hair stuck up in an odd angle, most likely held up by the headband around his head. He was good looking, and Rhode let her eyes linger on the eye patch before deciding that, ultimately, whatever was under it didn't matter. She searched the page, but only found a signature of the artist in a flourish she couldn't read.

It didn't matter- - -she found the boy who would break their spell, willingly or not. Now she just had to get him there.

Smiling, Rhode was so consumed by her plans, she let out a startled shriek when the bag was moved suddenly and she tipped over, the sound muffled by cloth as soon as she opened her mouth.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you sure you can't stay longer?" Lenalee asked. "Even just a little?" The eighteen year old felt like she was eight, and the comparison made her blush furiously.

(Out of the castle, in the gardens, the statue that her brother turned into froze for a moment, then turned, screaming 'WHY IS MY DARLING LENALEE BLUSHING? LENALEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!')

"I'm afraid I must be going now." Bookman sighed. "Come along, Allen, and see if you can't point me in the right direction." Allen smiled at Lenalee, touching the top of the teapot consolingly.

"I'll see you in a bit." He promised. "We'll search for Rhode together, ok?" Lenalee smiled back, her flush receding as she nodded.

"I wish you luck on your journey!" She called after Bookman. The old man smiled at her, nodding his thanks as Allen led him back to get his things.

They had just reached the doorway when Kanda decided to speak up.

"Oi." They both turned to find Kanda glaring at them both. "How much longer is the geezer staying in here?" Allen's eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry, Bookman." Allen said to the old man as sincerely as possible while maintaining a glare at the dark clock. "Just ignore him- - -Kanda gets a bit annoyed when he's ignored too long." Bookman glanced at the clock with interest, as it was the first time Kanda decided to speak in his presence since he arrived the night before, but went into the room to gather his things.

"How much longer is he staying here?" Kanda asked again.

"He's leaving now!" Allen snapped. "Stop worrying about it already!"

"He shouldn't have stayed in the first place!" Kanda yelled. "I told you to ignore him last night, and I told you that we shouldn't let him stay longer than necessary when Tyki allowed him room!"

"We rarely have travelers in need of our help, Kanda." Allen snarled, unable to help himself. "And it's even rarer that those travelers aren't afraid of us."

"So that's an excuse to allow anyone to use and take what they want from us?" Kanda scowled. "You are so naive! People will steal things like us, baka!" Allen's glare deepened, but Bookman once again interrupted.

"I'm ready to leave now." His piercing gaze locked with Kanda's. "I am interested in you all, but I'm no thief."

"See, Kanda?" Allen sighed heavily. "You shouldn't judge so quickly." His attention was transferred to Bookman once more. "I'll lead you to the door." Sticking his tongue out at Kanda and snickering when the clock sent him a strange look, Allen began another conversation with Bookman that lasted until they reached the door.

(A conversation where he realizes that Bookman is currently headed to a place that does not exist. He tells him as much, and the old man doesn't seem surprised; he merely snorts and asks directions back to the village. Allen groans when he realizes that Bookman is headed towards his Master, but gives him the best directions he can since it's been a year since he's gone back home. He hopes the man doesn't get even more lost.)

"Oh, I have one more question before I leave." Allen looked at Bookman as they stood in the entryway, the older male's horse still waiting by the castle doors. Bookman pointed up, continuing. "Above the door is a type of gargoyle. I didn't see it myself until I was practically in the hallway, but- - -"

"That's Skinn." Allen replied, leaning out as far as he dared. They weren't allowed to leave the castle, really. The furthest they could go was the gardens in the southern part of the castle, where Jasdevi was. "He protects us, and tells us when people are coming in our direction and what not. He's part of the ruling family here, actually."

"Interesting." Bookman murmured. Shaking his head slightly, he smiles down at Allen. "Thank you for accommodating me last night, and this morning as well."

"It's nothing." Allen smiled. "It's so rare that someone actually stays the night. Thank you for being our guest." Bookman nodded once and stepped towards his horse.

He had barely taken two steps when there was a piercing howl (for lack of a better word) that sounded through the morning. Confused, Bookman turned to find the gargoyle- - -Skinn- - -with his head tilted back as he started speaking, his voice laced with anger.

"Thief!" He yelled. Allen's eyes widened.

"Maybe it's because I'm with you?" Allen said hurriedly, climbing up as quickly as he could. "Skinn! Skinn it's just me, it's Allen! Skinn!"

"THIEF!" He roared, trying to attract someone's attention.

"Skinn, stop!" Allen growled forcefully, trying to calm him. "It's fine!" His eyes locked on Bookman, showing determination and confusion. "Maybe you should hurry up!" Bookman nodded once and all but ran to the horse, slinging his bags over the side.

Skinn roared again, fury laced through it, and didn't calm down until there was more movement from the door as Tyki raced out to see what happened.

He caught the horse's reins before Bookman could take off, snarling.

"What have you taken?" He asked, his voice grating harshly. Bookman stared at him, eyes wide, but didn't answer right away. Tyki snarled again, shaking the rein impatiently. "I gave you food and shelter, and you repay me by stealing? _**What did you take?**_" His voice deepened and became harsher with every word of his repeated question.

"N-Nothing." Bookman replied, his face carefully blank. He'd never seen a creature quite like Tyki, and though his curiosity burned through him, Bookman decided not to say more than he should. "I have taken nothing."

"_**Liar**_." That one word sent chills up Bookman's spine, and for the first time he regretting stumbling upon the castle. The other looked ready to kill, and- - -

They were both distracted by movement in one of Bookman's bags. Slowly, they both turned to the bag in question, Bookman stunned. After a few moments, a violet teacup (Rhode, he realized, with a sinking feeling he was forced to acknowledge) popped up, looking dizzy and just slightly worse for wear.

"What happened?" She slurred slightly, wavering around and blinking slowly against the light. Her eyes landed on Tyki, and she grinned. "Uncle Tyki!"

Her voice was lost on him as he turned back to Bookman.

"_**You lied**_." He snarled. Bookman shook his head, opening his mouth to say something in his defense, but Tyki ignored him completely. "_**Thief and kidnapper, trying to take my niece in repayment!**_" He pulled Bookman off the horse, grabbing Rhode after he did so, and with a strangled roar, hauled the old man back to the castle.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darryl stood outside the home he shared with his mentor, trying to calm the clamoring villagers as the smoke died down.

"It's fine, it's fine!" He called, laughing slightly hysterically. "Truly, it's fine!"

"We saw smoke!" One of the townspeople cried. Darryl felt sweat trail down his neck- - -he was going to die when Bookman returned, he just knew it- - -and laughed again.

"It was just the kitchen, honest! I have it out, promise." After a few more arguments, as well as well placed and meaningful concerns, Darryl finally managed to get the villagers to leave.

Leaning against the door once more, Darryl swore to never cook again. 


	5. Tell Me A Story

Hey guys. I feel like I'm on some sorta roll here, but it could be because I'm on vacation and I have time. i feel as though i should make the best of what little time i have left... This chapter feels really short to me. Will it feel short for any of you? We're almost at the chapter where they meet! XD haha anyway, I hope you guys enjoy and all the regular stuff. XD

d-gray-geek: I'm afraid 'Darryl' won't become 'Lavi' until he meets Tyki, which should be in one more chapter...hopefully. XD I was going to have Bookman intentionally steal Rhode originally, but then she snuck into the room and fell in his bag. XD

Notte di luna: thank you for reading and reviewing! XD I'm glad you enjoy my story.

Anyway, as always, read, enjoy, and don't forget to review! XD

Chapter 5

"Good day, Bookman." The old man looked up with a quiet sigh, resigned to his fate, as Allen came up the stairs with food.

"Hello, Allen." The silver candlestick placed the food near Bookman silently. "I didn't try to take her." It was only the second or third time the man said it, and there was no whine or pleading in the tone in which it was said; it was a statement that was a fact, and both saw it.

"I know." Allen sighed heavily and looked away. "Rhode has a habit of disappearing in the castle and getting herself lost in it- - -it's been a hobby of hers for years. We were going to go look for her after you..." He swallowed and continued. "After you left, but..." Allen trailed off again and for a moment there was only silence.

After Tyki had grabbed Bookman, he had taken him down to the lower levels of the castle, allowing only Allen and Kanda to follow him down. Lulubell paced silently above them in the rafters that crossed the top of the hallways and rooms, watching them walk with her piercing gold eyes. No doubt Tyki knew she was above them, but he didn't acknowledge her.

He didn't acknowledge any if them, save for Bookman. Furious beyond hearing anything anyone said, Tyki could be heard muttering curses at the old man in his grasp as he led them down to the deepest part of the castle.

Lulubell 'mew'ed at him from the rafters, and he ignored her as they reached a big oak door. Stopping for a moment, Tyki stood before it, indecisive, Bookman's arm in one hand and the handle of the door in the other. They all stood in silence, Tyki and Bookman, Kanda and Allen, Lulubell resting above them. All eyes save one were on Tyki, watching to see what he would do.

Tyki struggled, his grip getting tighter on both Bookman's arm, though the old man didn't make a sound, and on the door handle.

His darker side, the predominant side of him under the Millennium Earl, screamed for vengeance- - -the man, knowing or not, had tried to kidnap Rhode. The girl who was his favorite out of the Noah clan, the child who wanted him to play with her all the time and devote his attention solely to her, the niece who generally preferred his attention instead of his brother's and his wife's, a result of Sheryl's many business trips with Tricia by his side instead of their child's. His darker side screamed for blood as payment of Bookman's failed crime, wanting the old man to pay dearly for the attempted kidnapping of Rhode Kamelot, the youngest Noah.

His white side, the side that had slowly but surely appeared over the year Hevlaska had cursed them all, fought back just as hard. He had not known Rhode was there, it reasoned: Tyki had seen the look of confusion hidden as he held the man there, by his horse, in the castle grounds demanding his answer. Bookman insisted then he was innocent, though his claims slowed and died the further into the castle he was pulled. His white side didn't scream or yell in rage; instead, it begged and pleaded for mercy on the man who had not known of Rhode's habit of wandering, or of her insatiable curiosity, or of the fact that she was used to getting what she wanted when she wanted it- - -almost like Lulubell, in a manner of speaking, but more human.

And as Tyki struggled, everyone watched.

Then Lulubell 'mew'ed again, at the same time Allen murmured "Tyki?" and Kanda hit him in the back of the head as hard as he could.

Choice made, Tyki pulled the door open with a furious yell, throwing Bookman inside rougher than he meant to. Everyone jumped back, Lulubell springing to her feet with a hiss, as Tyki slammed the piece of wood shut and closed his eyes, panting against the door.

"Allen." The candlestick stepped forward hesitantly.

"Tyki?"

"You are to bring food and water to him everyday." Allen nodded quickly, his eyes darting from Tyki to the door quickly. "At least three times- - -breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"Yes sir." Allen muttered softly.

"Kanda." The clock snapped at attention. "Keep an eye on him. Don't let him out just yet- - -you wait for my order to release him. My order alone, coming from only me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Tyki." Kanda bowed as best he could, an old habit he was unwilling to shake; something he had learned from his parents in his homeland.

"None of you speak a word of where he is to anyone." Tyki breathed, his breath coming in silent gasps. "Not a word to anyone, not even Lenalee or Rhode." They agreed, Lulubell 'mew'ing once more before dropping from the rafters and Landing on Tyki's shoulder, rubbing her side into his neck and her forehead against his face soothingly. Tyki touched the white cross on her forehead tentatively, opening his eyes. "Let's go back up." He said, "Before the others come look for us."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darryl leant against the doorway, actually waking up early this morning, and raised an eyebrow at the man knocking on his front door.

"May I help you?" He asked slowly, trying to figure out why Adam was standing before him in all his creepy, mysterious glory. When he had rejected the man the previous day, Adam hadn't come back, something that made Darryl feel a mixture of relief and disappointment.

(mostly relief, as he didn't know if the man had heard about his...er, fire accident...)

"Good morning." Adam touched the brim of his hat. "I apologize for my behavior yesterday, it was rude of me to demand your company like that." Darryl blinked in surprise, not expecting that response, and pushed himself off the doorway just a bit. "I'd appreciate it if you would join me for lunch today, Darryl." Still blinking in confusion, the red head flushed lightly when he couldn't come up with an answer, his flush deepening when Adam picked up his hand and brought it to his lips again, murmuring a "Please?" against the back.

"I, uh," Darryl pulled his hand back nervously, though not as violently as he did the first time Adam had done that. "I guess it'd be fine." The air around them seemed to warm slightly, and when Adam spoke again it sounded as though he may be smiling.

"I'll come pick you up again around noon, then." Adam said, and Darryl smirked and nodded.

"See you then!" He called out as Adam turned to leave, giving him a two-fingered salute before shutting the door.

As soon as the door closed, Darryl leaned against it, his hands in his hair.

Bookman was going to be severely annoyed, if not furious, when he came back. They had never gotten close enough to anyone in any of the places they'd been to, because they never stayed in one place for more than a year. Darryl was sure that the streak of moving easily from one place to the next would be broken by this one person, but- - -

Darryl blinked, surprised that he didn't think to put a block on his thoughts sooner. It was just lunch! It's not as if Adam was showing any real interest in him (he was pointedly ignore the kiss on his hand, thank you very much), which meant he was reading way too much into the situation. He needed to calm down, because nothing would happen.

He was still holding onto the belief hours later, sitting across Adam.

Adam had taken him just past his house (Darryl could still see the window to Bookman's room), and they were eating a lunch that Adam had packed for the two of them. There was plenty of food, from sandwiches to little cakes.

(Some of the cakes had weird little designs of rabbits and butterflies on them, looking like a child drew them on with the frosting. Darryl made a mental note to tell Danielle that she had wonderful skills for a six year old.)

"Where is your Master?" Adam asked suddenly, causing Darryl to look at him. Despite being spring, and the day being extremely warm and sunny, Adam hadn't taken off his jacket or hat, leaving himself in the shadows.

"He went on a short trip yesterday." Darryl answered. "Left yesterday, and went through the woods."

"The woods, eh?" Adam chuckled lightly, and Darryl looked to him, confused. "Have you heard of the castle that's hidden in that forest?" Darryl paused for a moment, then shook his head slowly. Because Cross had only mentioned it in passing, Darryl didn't know anything about it other than the fact that Cross's apprentice was supposed to find it. Adam nodded once and, after a drink, began talking.

"It is rumored that there is a castle hidden among the trees in the forest. It's an enormous stone building, as big as the entire village here. The family that rules it has fourteen members, though inside the castle there are only seven people." Darryl paid rapt attention, his mind soaking up the information and conjuring images for what Adam was telling him. "Not too long ago, the leader of the castle, a man they called the Millennium Earl, was visited by Hevlaska."

"Who is Hevlaska?" Darryl interrupted. Though he couldn't see it, he felt Adam give him a look, and he flushed.

"Hevlaska is a goddess that promotes," Adam paused to remember, and when he spoke again, his voice came out in a nearly hesitated hiss. "Peace. She goes to where there is evil in power, and she uses her own power to teach them some form of a lesson." The glasses, the only part of Adam that Darryl could see, glinted once more. "And so one day, Hevlaska paid the Millennium Earl a visit. Convinced that he was abusing his power, Hevlaska punished the whole castle by removing the Earl from his castle. The others in the castle were turned into the very things they used to get their jobs done, and- - -"

"Wait, wait, wait." Darryl had a smirk on his face, though there was confusion in his eyes. Adam stopped, allowing Darryl to continue. "Are you saying that they're cursed to live as inanimate objects?" Adam nodded once. Darryl could see that the other was serious about the story, that he really believed in what he was saying. Darryl laughed uneasily, trying to ignore the sharp look he could sense he was getting in return. "Do you really believe that, Adam? Enchantments like that, they don't really exist." He said, trying to convince Adam of that. "I mean, dooming an entire castle to live as- - -as a teapot and a clock, that can't possibly be real..." He trailed off slowly, aware of the sharp glare he was getting. "Right?"

"Don't laugh, boy." Adam said, hid voice as sharp as the look Darryl sensed more than saw. "It is more real than you think." Darryl blinked slowly. "The castle exists, as does the Noah family, the family that rules it."

"But Hevlaska?" Darryl said in disbelief. "And magic enchantments? Surely such things are fantasy, Adam." There was a silence between the two for a moment, then Adam spoke again.

"Perhaps you are right." Adam replied finally. "Such things are myths and folklore." Darryl smiled again, still uneasy about everything Adam had said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tyki leaned against the back of his chair tiredly, sighing heavily. Lulubell climbed into his lap, mewling, and rubbed her side against his stomach.

"Was I too harsh, Lulubell?" He murmured, stroking her back gently. She 'mew'ed at him, purring as he scratched her gently behind her ears. "It's really damp down there. It's really no place for someone as old as he is."

"Meow." Lulubell sat up once more, locking and narrowing her gold eyes at Tyki. Tyki stared back at her. Her ears tiled back as she hissed, communicating in the only way she could now. After a moment, she tilted her head, mewling again, then settled down into his lap again and closed her eyes.

"Right." Tyki smiled slightly, resuming his petting against Lulubell's hands. "If you say so, Lulu." The cat purred again, arching against him as Lenalee entered.

"Tyki?" She said tentatively. They both turned to her. "You...you seem stressed." Lulubell hissed slightly from Tyki's lap. Lenalee jumped. "Oh, Lulubell! I-I didn't see you- - -anyway," Lenalee breathed slightly and addressed Tyki again. "I was wondering if you would like some tea?" Tyki sighed again, nodding.

"Yes, if you would." Tyki thought for a moment, ten called out again when Lenalee reached the door. "Find Rhode. Bring her here- - -I want to talk to her."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhode peered up at the top of the entryway.

"Jasdevi!" She yelled up. The combination leaned out to look down, one hand keeping itself up and the other holding onto the wall beside it, long hair tumbling over Jasdevi's shoulder and nearly touching the ground twenty feet below it.

"Rhode!" It cried down, its smile wide and inviting. "How are you today? We heard you almost got taken yesterday!" Jasdevi giggled after that, making Rhode smile as well. No matter what form, the two boys that were virtually her older brothers stayed the same.

"I have a favor to ask of you two!" She called again, ignoring the question and statement told to her. "Help me get to the front of the castle undetected! I wanna send away the old geezer's horse!"

"What for?" Jasdevi asked, asked boredly, moving one of its hands to push its hair out of its face. "We heard from Skinn that Tyki was pretty mad- - -it seems like the old guy isn't going anywhere any time soon."

"Exactly!" She said sweetly. "Therefore, having his horse here is a moot point. It's an extra thing to take care of." Rhode paused, then grinned wickedly. "It's an extra thing for you guys to watch over."

Jasdevi's eyes widened, and for a moment they thought, most likely arguing amongst themselves before they replied again.

"Fine!" They yelled down finally. "We'll help. How are we going to do this, Rhode?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darryl shut the door with a heavy sigh. After Adam's story, they had parted ways, Adam gathering the picnic things almost methodically. Darryl couldn't help the rush of disappointment that filled his body as he did, feeling as though it was his fault the lunch arrangement ended as early as it did.

Groaning, Darryl tilted his head as he thought. Bookman was going to kill him- - -three days, Darryl had managed to form the beginnings of an attachment in three days. He knew he shouldn't have, because it makes their constant moving even harder if he has an attachment to someone, but somehow...

The sound of hoofbeats brought Darryl out of his thoughts and he scrambled to move out of the doorway- - -Bookman wasn't supposed to be back for another two, three days! What had happened?

Darryl stood awkwardly in the middle of the main room as the hoofbeats outside stopped suddenly. He smiled awkwardly, waiting for the moment his master would walk in, muttering under his breath and scowling.

When he didn't, Darryl became worried.

He stepped slowly towards the door, just in case Bookman decided to grab some things from the horse before coming inside. Opening the door, Darryl's eye widened in surprise when all he saw was the horse, pacing in front of the house.

"Where's Bookman?" He demanded, as if the horse would tell him. Calming the horse to keep it from pacing, Darryl thought.

Didn't Bookman go through the forest a few days prior, to get to his destination (the one he never told Darryl about, come to think of it, something he had mentioned to Adam)? Darryl thought, his hand on the horse's side.

_The castle exists, as does the Noah family, the family that rules it._.

"Well," Darryl said finally, patting the horse. "Let's see how much more of the rumor is true." 


	6. When First I Saw You

So, I believe this is compensation for last chapter being so short. Maybe, I dunno. This one is soo much longer than usual. Sorry, I've no idea what I was on when I wrote this chapter. Um, you might have to re-read last chapter, cause I didn't add Jasdevi and Rhode's entire conversation, just the last two paragraphs of it. Anyway, as always, characters can/will be slightly out of character, and some (read, a lot) of things could be inaccurate.

d-gray-geek: good to know your thoughts on last chapter! XD haha you have no idea how close I was to doing Disney!Lucky, but didn't feel like it. Sorry, but the name-switch was pushed off one more chapter. This one, as you can tell, turned out ridiculously long.

Notte di luna: it's no problem, darling, so much as you continue to enjoy it! XD

Yueaifeng: I'm sorry you couldn't get in (I was going to send a message just in case you get in before the chapter goes up, but ah well). I'm glad you like it (so it WASN'T just me...XD) I hope you are/have been traveling well, wherever you are traveling to/from. Thank you for reviewing, and again I'm glad you're enjoying the story. XD

As always, read, enjoy, and don't forget to review! XD

Chapter 6

Jasdevi's eyes widened, and for a moment they thought, most likely arguing amongst themselves before they replied again.

"Fine!" They yelled down finally. "We'll help. How are we going to do this, Rhode?"

Rhode smiled.

"I'll be up there in a moment." She called. "Then we'll talk." Rhode hoped towards the entryway, but before she could get much further, she felt something soft wrap around her gold handle and lift her up quickly. Giggling as she was lifted to be with the boys who were her family, Rhode hopped onto the stone ledge that they sat perched on all day. "Couldn't wait?" She teased.

"The sooner you tell us, the sooner we can put your plan in motion." Jasdevi said with a shrug and a smirk that reminded Rhode definitely of Devitto.

"So, when I was caught in the old man's bag," Jasdevi snickered when Rhode flushed. "I fell in, ok?" She snapped to their unasked question that lingered in the air around them. Jasdevi laughed outright and Rhode huffed, glaring. "Do you want to hear the plan or not?"

"Yes, yes, tell us!" The words were out of Jasdevi's mouth in Jasdero's usual hyper manner, making a small smile come back to Rhode's face. As annoying as the blonde was sometimes, he was really sweet and innocent, making Rhode feel slightly protective of him even though he was older than she was.

"As I was saying," Rhode continued. "I saw a picture of a boy. I'm not quite sure who or where he is, but I'm positive he's related to the old man Tyki's taken hold of."

"What does that have to do with the horse?" Jasdevi asked curiously. Rhode sighed, rolling her eyes. Maybe, she mused, she should remember that Jasdevi _was_ the combination of Jasdero and Devitto- - -while certainly not the stupidest of the family, they definitely weren't the _brightest_ among them...

As if sensing her thoughts, Jasdevi glared at her fiercely. Rhode coughed delicately, refocusing her attention on her (in her mind) well made up plan.

"Well," She started. "The boy could live with him. And it's been rumored that any animal can find its way back home, given enough time and training and whatnot." Her violet eyes gleamed in anticipation. "So, maybe the horse can go back to the geezer's house and, if the boy's there, he'll know something's wrong. That will lead him here, where he and Tyki fall in love and voilà!" She jumped, wishing she were already human so she could throw out her arms for emphasis (though she wouldn't need to make such plans if she were human). "Our spell breaks and we all live happily ever after, and all that great wonderful stuff."

Silence met her final outburst, and she opened her eyes, unaware she had closed them in the first place, and looked expectantly at Jasdevi, who was giving her an amused look.

"Leave it to a girl to have such a romantic fantasy." Jasdevi snickered. Rhode pouted at them, but they waved her off almost carelessly. "Never mind that, Rhode." They said. "We're bored, so we'll humor you for now."

"Really?" Rhode squealed happily when they shrugged.

"It's not like we can do much else stuck here." They said, sounding annoyed. "Hevlaska made sure we stayed in this spot _all year_. It's really grating on our nerves." Rhode giggled happily, jumping up and down.

"Oh, I'd hug you if I could!" She squealed happily. Stopping suddenly, Rhode motioned for them to lean down; Jasdevi did, curiosity burning through the eye that managed to mix Jasdero and Devitto (one mark above it, like Devitto's scar, and three lines below the eye, like Jasdero's), until they were right about in range.

Rhode jumped up eagerly and pressed her lips to their cheek in a kiss of gratitude, making the boys jump back and stutter in shock.

"Thank you!" She chirped. "Now, here's what we have to do." They leaned down again, keeping a wary eye in the violet teacup in case she decided to jump up at random and kiss them again. Rhode ignored them. "I need to get to the front of the castle undetected."

"Why don't you just leave by the front door?" Jasdevi asked, playing with their hair by throwing it as far as they could and pulling it up again, almost as though they were fishing.

"Because," Rhode sighed, rolling her eyes. "Skinn guards the front enterance, and he's still all worked up about me leaving the castle grounds in the first place- - -he won't let me off again." Jasdevi made a face of understanding, nodding and murmuring 'oh, right, right...' Rhode continued. "So, that means I need to go around the outside of the garden, so that I'll be outside already when I reach Skinn."

"Won't it alert him, though?" They asked. "We mean, he'll know you aren't in the castle, right?"

"I don't know." Rhode blinked, not expecting the road block. "I...it's something that hasn't been tried before."

"Trial run!" Jasdevi cheered. "Never mind that, how do you plan to actually open the gate?" Rhode blanched lightly, her violet slowly turning to a pale purple.

"That's right!" She grinned cheekily. "But if Skinn happens to go off again and inform someone, preferably Uncle Tyki, I may not have to worry about that. He'll open the gate for me- - -I hope." Jasdevi raised an eyebrow at Rhode's last words, muttered under her breath. They leaned forward, a wide grin on their face.

"Is Tyki aware of your plan, Rhode?" They asked jeeringly, making the girl turn an even paler shade of purple. "So," they continued before she could speak, "We can get you to the edge of the garden in that direction." They pointed towards the wall before them "But we can't go any further than that." Rhode gave them a look, her color returning when they went along with the plan anyway. "What?" They shrugged. "We can't leave this spot, and that's as far as our hair can go, really. That's what you get, take it or leave it."

Rhode looked at the edge of the garden.

"Put me there now, so I can start moving." She said. "Let's see if you can still find me out there." Jasdevi grinned and picked her up again, hair around the gold handle, and threw it out, aiming for the wall opposite them.

"Can you make it?" They yelled. There was no answer; after a moment, they met resistance and Rhode was on the opposite end safely.

"How do you feel?" She yelled back, not waiting for an answer as she started moving along the wall carefully.

Jasdevi swallowed their answering call- - -in their mind, Jasdero was whining, the protective instinct Hevlaska forced into them kicking into power as soon as Rhode touched the other side of the garden.

"She left, she left, she left!" He cried, pacing around their combined mind, his tongue sticking out to follow the black stitches over his mouth. "Rhode's gone, Devitto, she's gone, we have to tell Tyki, we gotta tell him! She could get hurt, or broken, or- - -OW!" Jasdero whined pathetically when Devitto hit his head suddenly, gold eyes flashing.

"Shut up, idiot!" He growled out, trying to force the instinct down in himself long enough to allow Rhode time to get away. "I know she's gone. It's part of the plan, remember?"

"But-But..." Jasdero sniffed lightly. "She's not supposed to leave the castle. It's against the rules."

"What do we care?" Devitto snapped. "She ain't going anywhere. She's not leaving the castle. She's getting rid of a damn animal!" Jasdero blinked his wide gold eyes at Devitto's explanation once before a grin took over his face, stretching out the thread.

"Oh, yea!" He said, causing Devitto to roll his eyes and rub his temples. "Ok, ok, I understand now!" Jasdero giggled madly, using Devitto's inattention to the blonde to throw himself forward, arms wrapping around Devitto's shoulders and legs wrapping around the other's waist, dilemma forgotten.

"What the hell are you doing?" Devitto roared at him, flailing to get him off. Jasdero grinned, moving to sit on Devitto's shoulders instead.

"Good luck, Rhode!" He called out, taking control of Jasdevi briefly. "Bring us food when you finish, ok?"

Across the wall, Rhode, who had given up on getting an answer from the two, smiled as she heard what was undoubtably Jasdero calling after her.

"Ok!" She agreed before focusing once again on the wall. It's about thirty feet or so from the ground, and for a moment Rhode appreciated the fact that Jasdevi could reach this far with their hair; then she started off, going around the wall to find where the entrance is.

"Miss Kamelot, is that you?" Rhode froze, her eyes wide. She didn't make it to the front, not yet, but then she realized that the voice that called to her was distinctly not Skinn's.

"Oh, yes!" She turned and smiled innocently at him.

He's tall; he was at least six feet before, when she was human, but now that she's a teacup, he just towers over her. Rhode knows she's still in the garden, but she's not exactly sure where.

"What are you doing on the East side of the castle, Miss Kamelot?"

"Nothing you should worry about, Krory." She replies, slightly relieved to know she's closer to her goal, but annoyed that it was as far as shed gotten so far; the black-haired man with the weird white lock of hair looked surprised.

"You know who I am?" He asked unsurely. Rhode couldn't help but laugh- - -there's been nothing to do for the past year, and so she took it upon herself to memorize every person who had ever left any sort of mark on the castle, from Neah to their newest maid, Miranda Lotto.

"Yes." Rhode was struck with an idea. "Krory, can you do me a favor?" The taller male nodded, smiling hopefully and showing off the fangs Hevlaska gave him to protect the inhabitants of the castle. "Take me to the entrance, please?"

"Of course, Miss Kamelot!" Krory picked her up, and after her careful instructions of walking along the wall, they were off.

When they reached the gate, Krory stopped.

"Now what?" He asked. Rhode peered at Skinn- - -the main protector didn't seem to realize they were there yet, and the horse had wandered to a spot in between the gate and the guard.

"We need to let the horse free." She remembered the horse lesson her father forced her to take a few years back (why she had to take them, she'll never know- - -he pulled her out when one of her temper tantrums caused the horses to get spooked and untamable for an hour and a half) and whistled for the horse.

After a moment, it picked its head up and trotted over to the closed gate slowly. Smirking in triumph, Rhode gave her next set of orders.

"Krory, can you open the gate?" Krory smiled at her obliviously, happy to be of some sort of help.

"Yes, Miss Kamelot!" With that, he jumped down, Rhode still in his hand, and opened the gate with a flourish. "You're free, little one, free!"

The horse, terrified by Krory's sudden appearance, bolted straight out of the gate. Rhode watched it leave with wide eyes.

"Wow." She said softly. "Thanks, Krory." Krory beamed, opening his mouth to responde, when a sudden roar echoed over the yard.

"_**RHODE KAMELOT!**_"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darryl sat on the horse, his mind wandering freely as he took the route Bookman had taken almost four days previous. Most of his trip was something of a blur, as he had left as soon as he woke up that morning, which resulted in him being almost half asleep on top of the horse, his eye patch tied firmly but virtually hidden underneath his loose headband. His clothes were a rumpled mess, and he could barely summon thestrength to hold onto the reins, let alone lead the horse.

It seemed to know where it was going, though, so for the moment Darryl trusted it and allowed it to go where it pleased.

Several hours later, Darryl had awoken fully. In front of him were two paths, one practically covered in shadows and the other open to the light. Darryl peered down both and tried to figure his way.

"Well..." He started slowly. "Even Bookman isn't stupid enough to take the darker path...right?" The horse snorted in response. "Then again...a creepy castle would most likely be found in the deeper part of the forest." There was a few moments of silence as Darryl considered his options. "We can find the creepy castle another time."

With that bright choice, Darryl turned towards the lighter path and went down it without a second thought.

As he traveled, his eyes found patches of sky amongst the trees and he sighed heavily. Leave it to Bookman to somehow get lost in a forest like this. At least this portion of it was pretty- - -

A stone roof caught Darryl's attention, and he froze, pulling the horse to a stop.

There was absolutely no way he found the damn castle when he was looking for Bookman. It just was not possible, in any way, shape, or form. Darryl rubbed his eyes furiously, sure his mind was playing a trick on him somehow.

Nope, the castle was still there.

"Shit." He muttered. Rolling his eyes, Darryl flicked the reins so the horse would walk again, though he allowed the horse to take hesitant steps towards the place.

He really wasn't in the mood for this. Darryl just wanted to find Bookman and go home, and forget about the castle. He didn't even want to hear about the damn place after this- - -maybe he could convince Bookman to leave earlier than usual?

Shit, they hadn't even been there two months. Bookman would murder him before leaving so soon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Tyki!" Kanda threw the door open without a second thought, the wood flying back and hitting the opposite wall. Tyki looked up from his book slowly, blinking to take in the dark clock's appearance.

"Yes, Kanda?" He asked coolly. "Was there a reason you felt the need to attempt damage on the walls in my room to get my attention?" Kanda may have flushed- - -it was so hard to tell with the dark clock- - -but continued nonetheless.

"Jasdevi helped Rhode off castle grounds yesterday." Tyki, who had picked up the tea Lenalee had brought for him and had been about to swallow, choked suddenly, spraying tea on the table. Lulubell hissed in annoyance, jumping off Tyki's lap and licking her paws to clean herself.

"C-Come again?" He coughed, the unexpected choking making his voice harsher than usual.

"Jasdevi helped Rhode off castle grounds yesterday, for what, I don't know." Kanda took a breath and scowled. "Skinn says someone else is coming, some kid. He'll be here before nightfall." Tyki groaned and rubbed what he could of his temples.

"Stay in your position by the old man." He said finally. "We'll leave him be for now."

"Yes, Tyki." Kanda bowed as much as he could and turned to leave.

"Oh, and Kanda?"

"Yes?" The clock turned to face Tyki again. Tyki ignored the fact in favor of pulling something from beside him and cleaning up the tea he spilled.

"I wish to speak to my niece; please aid Miss Lenalee and if you see Rhode, inform her that I wish to speak with her."

"Yes, Tyki." Kanda hesitated in the doorway, but when Tyki proved he had nothing else to say, the dark clock made his way down the castle levels once more.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darryl approached the gate apprehensively, not appreciating the fact that the horse refused to go any closer. Biting his lip, he pushed the gate open, sighing in relief when the gate opened soundlessly.

Debating internally, Darryl decided not to announce his presence just yet. He had gotten all the way up to the door when something- - -a statue most likely- - -caught his eye. Looking up, Darryl's eyes widened and he scrambled backwards, nearly tripping over his feet in his haste to get away from the stone gargoyle glaring down at him, its features twisted in a way that made it by far the ugliest gargoyle Darryl had ever seen. Fury seemed to roll off it in waves, which Darryl thought was odd, but he didn't question it at the moment.

Instead, he turned and all but fled to find a different entrance.

He skid around a couple of corners, placing his hands on his knees and panting to catch his breath. When he looked up, satisfied he had gotten away from the freakiest gargoyle he'd ever seen, Darryl found himself in a garden filled with red and white roses. Still panting, Darryl inched around the garden, hoping to not run into any gardeners, searching for a doorway.

"Ah, there!" Approaching the doorway slowly this time, Darryl looked up to see another statue, this one appearing to be a young woman with long hair, staring out at the wall. The statue had one hand on the wall beside it, almost as if for balance for the way it was positioned in a crouch, the other hand placed firmly on the stone beneath it.

"Well," he breathed before entering, "At least you look better than the one out front." With that statement, Darryl opened the door, looking into the castle, and virtually had his breath stolen.

The hallway he found was dark and cold, stretching on in either direction, though only a small bit of it was visible (and that was because Darryl hadn't shut the door yet). Darryl gulped slightly, unsure if he really wanted to go into the dark hallway that led who-knows-where.

He had been about to step out and close the door ("I'll take my chances with ugly out front, thank you very much.") when he felt something push him from behind. Darryl lost his balance and stumbled in, almost crashing head first into the opposite wall; as he did, the door slammed shut.

Cursing, Darryl regained his balance long enough to run at where he thought the door was, colliding with the wood and turning the doorknob almost frantically. It wouldn't budge, though, which left Darryl leaning against the door, trying to catch his breath once more and curb the irrational fear that had cropped up when he saw the gargoyle in the front.

(Outside, Jasdevi used their hair to hold the doorknob in place, laughing madly as they heard the red head trying to get out in desperation.)

Sighing heavily, Darryl pushed himself from the door and wandered down the hallway, going to his right and hoping to get the hell out of the castle as soon as possible so he could find Bookman.

Dammit, maybe Bookman had gone down the darker path.

Not knowing what else to do, Darryl stuck a hand in his pocket, placing the other on the slightly damp wall beside him, shivering a bit at the cool touch, and wandered down the hallway.

He had been walking for a little while, not doing much other than walking, when his hand hit something that felt suspiciously like wood. Curious, Darryl ran his fingers over it until they found a door knob. Blinking and then smiling in triumph, Darryl twisted the knob hard to the left, trying to open the door.

It didn't move.

"Hello?" He said, hitting the door gently. "Hello? Anyone there?" There was movement, not from the door, but from further down. Intrigued, Darryl moved down a bit more. "Bookman? Hello?" The silence that answered him unnerved him. Darryl huffed through his nose, annoyed with himself for acting like a child so far, and purposefully moved towards the noise, his hand still trailing against the wall so that he could still feel where he was going.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You wanted to see me, Uncle Tyki?" Rhode asked, entering the room. Behind her, Lenalee muttered something about making tea and headed toward the kitchens. Tyki turned, Lulubell laying across his bed (she was still annoyed Tyki had sprayed tea all over her, no matter how accidental it was).

"You left the castle yesterday," It was a statement, not a question. Rhode paled, turning a lighter shade of violet, and nodded despite the certainty in her uncle's voice. "Why?"

"To lose the horse." Tyki gave a look- - -not just any look, but The Look. Rhode sighed and explained herself at her uncle's silent request. "The old man didn't need it any time soon, and I figured we could at least send the animal home so it could be taken care of properly!" As soon as the words left her mouth, Rhode glanced at the doorway hopefully, as if now that she had given an explanation, she'd be allowed to leave.

"You're lying." Another statement, and Rhode groaned internally. Figures, Tyki wouldn't let it go at that. "Why did you free the horse, Rhode? We could have taken care of it, and I'm not holding the old man forever."

"You aren't?" The news seemed to surprise the girl, and Tyki allowed a small, amused yet slightly tired smile to slip.

"No, darling." He said slowly. "Which is why you shouldn't have let it free at all." Rhode huffed in annoyance. "Please don't leave castle grounds again, Rhode, or I'll have to have Miss Lenalee confine you to the kitchens with her."

"I honestly don't see what the big deal is!" Rhode protested at the not so subtle hint of punishment. If she could, she would be crossing her arms and glaring- - -despite adoring Lenalee to shreds, Rhode didn't want to stay in the kitchens, because her uncle would keep her locked in there for _days_. "I didn't go anywhere, Uncle Tyki!"

"We aren't supposed to be doing stunts like that, Rhode!" Tyki replied, annoyed. "What if a thief had been passing by and saw you? Thieves don't particularly care if what they steal can talk or not. You'd be taken in an instant and no one would be able to do anything!"

"But I did it for a reason!" The girl whined. "It'll help us later, I swear!" Tyki paused for a moment, then leveled a look at her. Her violet eyes locked with his.

"Rhode..." He said slowly, "that boy coming...does he have anything to do with your plans?"

"He's coming already?" She beamed, answering her uncle's question. He groaned, closing his eyes, but Rhode didn't seem to notice. "That's great!"

"Rhode, focus!" Tyki picked up the teacup and brought her up to his eye level. She looked at him, the excitement and hope in her eyes dying slightly when he addressed her sternly. "What are you planning, Rhode?"

"I'm just trying to help you out!" She started, wriggling around. "Please?" Tyki placed her on the table again and sighed loudly. "No, no, no, look, it was perfect! The geezer had a picture of a boy, and I figured he'd be the perfect person to help us! So, I sent the horse back, and I figured he'd come here and then save us all!" Tyki stared at her incredulously, and Rhode's smile faltered slightly. "Uncle Tyki?"

"Only you, Rhode." He sighed slightly. "Only you could come up with a plan like that." Rhode smiled lightly, unsure of her uncle's meaning. "And how do you propose we keep the boy here, hmm?"

Rhode hadn't thought of that.

"Imagine he doesn't like this castle, darling. Or he doesn't think fondly of any of you. He could be a thief, or he could be destructive. Sadistic, like you were." Rhode winced at how very little she thought this through. Tyki sighed again and touched the brim of her slightly.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Tyki."

"It's of little importance now." Tyki said dismissivly. "He's almost here now. We need a plan to- - -"

"He's here already, inside the castle. He snuck in by Jasdevi, and is near by the old man now." Kanda interrupted loudly from the door. "He just snuck in."

With a slight growl- - -Tyki hated it when people didn't face things head-on- - -the master of the castle disappeared, going through the twisting hallways down to the lowest part of the castle and stopping beside a slightly panting Allen.

"Oh, good," the candlestick gasped slightly, panting for breath. "Kanda got you."

"Where is he?" Tyki growled. Allen gestured behind him and Tyki followed the silent movement with an ordered "Don't move."

He found the boy easily, as the frustrated and slightly annoyed voice echoed off the walls as he called for someone to answer him. Tyki snuck up behind him, purposefully keeping his footsteps silent until he was directly behind what looked to be a red headed boy.

"Who are you?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Who are you?" Darryl gaped wordlessly, his voice failing him at the harsh tone and deep voice behind him. He whirled around with a loud gasp, his hand jumping to cover his heart, and heard something move in the darkness. The owner of the voice seemed to get annoyed, though Darryl couldn't see it, and the next words came out in a loud roar that echoed. "Who are you?"

"I-I-I-I..." Darryl, despite suddenly finding his voice, found he couldn't do much but stammer.

"Allen!" A light bounded up to him, and Darryl's eyes widened more to find a candlestick peering up at him nervously, silver eyes filled with compassion. "Take this boy up to the dining room." The candlestick muttered something that sounded like 'Yes, sir,' before he moved closer to Darryl.

"Follow me, please." It said and, dumbstruck, Darryl did as he was told. "My name is Allen Walker. I'm part of the staff here, I work in the library." The candlestick's name- - -Allen Walker, he said- - -made something come to mind, but in his shock, Darryl couldn't remember what. "I've been here a year and a half...almost two, now that I think about it. It's very nice here, usually. I think today, you caught Tyki in a bad mood. He's still upset about yesterday, you see, and..." Allen's voice trailed off because Darryl stopped listening to him. His mind was focused on how he and Bookman were going to get out of the strange castle alive, ideas flying through his head faster than his mind could get a firm grip on them.

"Allen?" Darryl refocused long enough to see a violet teapot appear, realizing with a start he was sitting in an unfamiliar dining room that didn't seem to be used often.

(Though, how it was to be used when there were no people here, only moving objects, Darryl couldn't understand period.)

"I don't know what to do with him!" Allen was saying frantically, clearly not realizing Darryl had decided to check into dream-land again and could hear him perfectly. "Tyki just told me to bring him here, but he didn't say much else!"

"Maybe you should just keep an eye on him." The teapot offered. Allen opened his mouth when a violet teacup burst in, yelling about 'victory!' and 'success!'

"Lenalee!" She cried, almost crashing into the pot but somehow managing to avoid an untimely collision. "It worked!" The teacup leaned up and pressed a big kiss to the teapot's cheek. The pot turned a darker shade of violet, eyes darting around the dining room while the cup did what appeared to be some form of a victory dance. Allen was smiling widely, but he looked confused and he attempted to calm the teacup down; she ignored him and did her dance with more energy and vigor, throwing in more cheers while she was at it.

It was too much for Darryl, and he couldn't help the question that came from him suddenly, his voice hoarse and raw.

"What the hell is going on?" He looked from the dancing teacup to the confused candlestick to the embarrassed teapot, eyes searching each of them. "What- - -"

He was interrupted by the door slamming open.

"Where is he?" The teacup 'meep!'ed, stopping and hiding behind the teapot. The candlestick pointed at him slowly, and Darryl felt himself get whirled around almost violently, the hands that suddenly appeared on his shoulders stopping him from twisting around fully.

He barely managed not to yell in horror, but he couldn't help the startled gasp that left him when he came face to face with the person who was clearly the master of the castle. Gold eyes glared out from the mask that covered his face, and a sense of almost familiarity struck Darryl.

"Why are you here?" The question came out in a snarl, and Darryl tried to calm his mind enough to answer the question.

"I was wondering if my mentor happened to pass through here," Darryl cleared his throat slightly, pleased he had been able to get the words out without stuttering too badly. By this point, anything was worth a shot if it kept him and Bookman alive. "He-He's pretty old, he goes by Bookman, and he'd be wearing a black cloak- - -"

"He attempted kidnap." The creature in front of him snarled out, cutting Darryl off as his eyes widened. Bookman tried to take someone? Darryl's eyes darted around the dining room, trying to think of something. Surely, Bookman didn't... "My niece was found in his bag as he was about to leave the castle. He is being held prisoner as punishment."

"Where?" Darryl hissed angrily, finding his voice as fury rolled through him in waves. "Down in that fucking...basement or whatever?" He paused for a moment, and the silence that met him was answer enough. "What the hell is the matter with you? That's not a place for anyone, let alone an old man like Bookman! Have you ever thought about the fact that it still gets cold at night?" He exploded, his voice raising loud enough that the person-creature-thing winced and backed away slightly.

"Don't yell at my uncle!" The teacup shrieked suddenly, making Darryl turn his head to face her (it was the only thing he could move, as whatever- - -whomever- - -it was in front of him still had a grip on his shoulders). "He's only been down there a day- - -"

"Enough, Rhode." The creature in front of him (her uncle? Really?) snarled lightly. His attention returned to Darryl. "And what do you suggest we do to a prisoner charged with kidnap?"

"I don't know- - -go to the village police!" Darryl snapped. The man-thing snorted lightly, anger clear.

"Not likely nor possible." His grin was feral, sending shockwaves up Darryl's spine. "Try again."

"Uh..." Darryl couldn't think of an answer; behind him, the teacup Rhode cheered 'victory!' once more. "When can Bookman leave?" Darryl asked instead. The tilt of its head made it clear the question was not anticipated at all.p>(Darryl saw long locks of hair follow behind the movement, and he nearly winced- - -he hated the length of the man's hair. Long hair, as a general, did not look good on men. Shoulder length, fine, but anything past the top of a man's shoulder blades was far too long.)

"Well," He said slowly, "as the man did try to kidnap my niece, who is part of the Noah clan..." That was all Darryl needed to hear.

If he remembered correctly (and he knew without a doubt he was), then people like the Noah family, as royalty, did not 'forgive and forget'...ever. Bookman was as good as dead by the time they would let him out once more, and as old as he was, there was no chance of him ever escaping.

Darryl, on the other hand...

He was younger, and had a better chance at getting out than Bookman did. He was faster than anything here, most likely (scratch the most likely- - -definitely, as he was the only human) and he would be better and more agile to get away than Bookman was.

"Take me instead." Was out of his mouth before he could even think twice. 


	7. Time to Say Goodbye

Thank god, not the 5,000-word thing I came up with last time. XD haha I think out of all of them, this was the hardest and most awkward chapter to write thus far. And I know you guys may murder me, but I have a one-shot Lucky that I'm also working on when I can't come up with ideas for this. XD should be up at some point, I hope. Anyway, as always, characters can/will be out of character, and some (read, a lot) of things may be inaccurate.

Notte di luna: thank you, I'm glad you liked it. XD

d-gray-geek: not a bad thing, just a stunned thing XD I think I just about fell off my bed when I saw the word count go to 5,000! XD haha but here it is, the official name switch (it'll take him a while to get used to it, so bear with me here, ok, darling? XD)

As always, read, enjoy, and don't forget to review! XD

Chapter 7

There was complete silence following his statement, and Darryl was wondering whether his current lack of brain to mouth filter was a good thing or a bad thing when the male before him threw his head back suddenly and roared with laughter.

"Take you instead?" Darryl frowned, unable to find any humor in his previous words. Behind him, even Rhode was giggling, though her giggle was much more pleased than her uncle's incredulous laughter.

"Yes, take me instead." He snapped back bitingly. "At least with me, you won't have to worry so much about illnesses or any other such things." That cut off the other's laughter quickly, and he regarded Darryl with almost cautious gold eyes.

"What is your name?" He asked, and Darryl froze.

He didn't want to give his real name; when he got out (when, he restated firmly in his mind, so that he wouldn't lose hope; when, not if), this man could come after him easily and find him and Bookman in the village, since they most likely wouldn't have time to leave. If that happened, he could be angry enough to kill them on the spot. His mind raced, trying to find a name he hadn't yet used, his breath shortening with each discarded, used name his mind supplied. It was almost as if he- - -

A flash of silver caught his eye, and Darryl turned his head slightly so that he could see what it was.

Allen bit his lip slightly, his flames flickering a bit, and Darryl's eyes widened. The boy's name had sounded familiar when he mentioned it was Allen Walker, and now Darryl wracked his brains furiously for the reason why, cursing that his fear made him forgetful. Allen, Allen Walker...Darryl's eyes widened as he remembered walking into the bookstore, and a book flying through the air, narrowly missing his head as he yelped and ducked.

_"Idiot boy, I told you not to come back here if you couldn't find the damn castle." A sigh. "Guess you really can't do much for yourself. Dammit, Walker." A tall male stood up, glaring down at Darryl. "Oi. You're not Allen. Who the hell're you?"_

Darryl could almost hit himself for not remembering- - -Allen was Cross's missing apprentice, the one Cross ditched in the middle of the forest to find his way to this place alone. The one who had Cross's debts to pay, the silver candlestick-who-once-was-a-human peering nervously as Darryl remembered- - -

_Lavi is a perfect name to give under extraneous circumstances._

"Well?" Darryl turned to face the male before him fully once more.

"Lavi." He said. "My name is Lavi." Darryl felt himself being looked over and regarded seriously.

"You would take your mentor's place...Lavi?" The other asked, Darryl's new name slipping out of his mouth slowly. The false name made Darryl shudder slightly, and for a moment he thought about reconsidering and telling him the truth.

"I would." Darryl said firmly, ignoring the window of opportunity he had to straighten things out when it came to his name. "Please, would you let me?" The creature glanced behind Darryl, regarding something behind him seriously.

"As you wish." He said finally, though Darryl couldn't be sure to whom he was talking to as he nodded once with finality and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Darryl cried. He turned and locked eyes with him again, giving him an expectant look. Darryl flushed lightly. "Um, what's...I mean, what do I call you...?" There was another moment of silence, another moment the creature before him studied someone or something behind him seriously before he answered.

"I am Tyki Mikk." He said finally. Darryl nodded once, storing the name to memory. It would take a few days to get out, and so in the meantime he might as well learn as much as much as he could about the castle and its inhabitants. "Lenalee, would you make some tea?"

"Of course, Tyki!"

"Allen, come with me, if you please." Darryl watched the silver candlestick mutter something reassuring to the teapot- - -Lenalee, most likely- - -before he followed Tyki out of the doorway. "Stay in this room." Darryl gaped at him as the door slammed shut- - -was he not allowed to see his mentor once more and, if anything, prove he was ok?

When they were gone, Darryl sat down once more, scowling slightly but this time paying more attention and watching the teapot and cup with interest. The teacup was the first to speak.

"I'm Rhode Kamelot." She started, bouncing over to him. There was a bright look in her eyes, as if she were extremely pleased with the situation or herself. "Welcome, Lavi!" Darryl stared at her for a moment.

"Ah, hello." He shook his head once and leaned down to look at her better. "How are you, Miss Kamelot?"

"Oh, no, it's just Rhode." She grinned. "'Miss Kanelot' makes me sound like Mother, and I don't want to be like Mother." Darryl felt his eyebrow raise at that, which amused Rhode to no end.

"You said your name was Lavi, right?" Darryl blinked slowly but nodded once at the teapot. He would have to get used to being 'Lavi' now. "I'm Lenalee Lee. I used to work in the kitchens as a cook." Lenalee smiled up at Darryl, and Darryl found himself smiling back at her. "I'm sorry. This is a lot to have taken in on one day. I'll get the tea for you now. Afterwards, I think Allen or Kanda will lead you down to where you'll stay."

The image of the basement...cellar...whatever it was made Darryl shudder slightly, but he couldn't say he hadn't been expecting it. After all, he was nothing but a prisoner, merely taking the place of Bookman. When Lenalee left for the kitchen, he turned to Rhode.

"Did you work in the kitchens too?" He asked her. She blinked at him with violet eyes, confusion covering her face. At her 'huh?', Darryl chuckled slightly and traced her gold handle gently. "You're a teacup, one that matches perfectly with Lenalee. Does that mean you worked in the kitchen too?"

"Of course not!" She huffed, violet eyes flashing. "I am a proud member of the Noah family. I was the one that old geezer was kept here for. I am no servant, but the- - -" She cut herself off and peered at him curiously. "Why?" Darryl blinked at her. "Why do you want to know?"

"Allen mentioned working in the library, and he's a candlestick." He said with a shrug. "Lenalee is a teapot, and she worked in the kitchens." Rhode shook her head.

"I was headed for the kitchens because I was worried about Lenalee." She said seriously. "She ends up in the kitchen by herself, and we were all here, in the dining room. And, besides, tea sets are supposed to match. Ever think of that?"

"Why not wait for Allen or someone else to check on her?" Darryl asked gently, feeling 'Lavi' begin to take form with the question and ignoring the statements following what the girl said after being worried about Lenalee. Rhode scowled lightly.

"I'm not going to trust the welfare of my favorite doll to someone else!" She snapped lightly. "I had to see how she was doing myself!" For a few seconds, Darryl stared at her, feeling Lavi becoming more real the longer he stared at this girl; then he opened his mouth and asked the first thing that came to mind.

"Do you refer to all of your servants as dolls, or just the ones you like?" Rhode's mouth opened and closed a few times, turning a slightly darker shade of violet each time. Feeling Lavi mostly dominant in his body, he leaned over, placing his chin on bent elbows and smiled at her. "Hm?"

"Lenalee's the only one." Rhode admitted a few moments later. "She's the only one I think of as my doll. That's why she's my favorite doll." Lavi nodded once, smiling again when the girl glared at him suddenly. "You don't tell anyone I told you that- - -especially Lenalee!" She hissed.

Lavi reared back, the back of his head hitting the seat behind him in surprise.

"Not a word." He said honestly. Rhode studied him a moment before nodding once to herself. Just as she did, the door opened and slammed shut again. Lavi turned to face a silver candlestick leaning heavily against the door- - -Allen Walker.

"Good evening, Lavi, Rhode." He panted slightly. Both murmured a greeting back.

"Oh, hey, Allen." The candlestick looked up and smiled at Lavi. Lavi grinned back, feeling slightly bad for the news he was about to tell him. "I saw your master before I came here- - -a Marian Cross?" Allen's eyes widened and a shudder wracked through his body at the name.

"Wh-What did Master Cross say?" He stammered out. "How did you even meet him?"

"He's the bookkeeper in the village I just came from." Allen groaned. "Anyway, he told me that if I should ever run into you, I should tell you that he has debts he needs paid off."

Allen moved away from the door, whimpering and muttering under his breath. Lavi felt bad for him, but a noise just outside the door caught his attention and he was pulling the heavy piece of wood open before he could think twice about it. If he was going to be stuck here for a while, he at least wanted Bookman to know he was ok.

Screw what Tyki had told him- - -he had never been all that great with following rules anyway.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bookman had been sitting in what he termed his cell, for lack of a better description. He had heard the commotion, from the thundered roar Tyki had adopted in questioning the idiot who had evidently broken into the castle to Kanda's annoyed grumblings.

He had been thinking on what it meant for him when the door flew open and the creature he associated with the head of the castle appeared in the doorway. The clock sounded as if it had jumped to attention, and there was a glimmer of light that Bookman understood came from Allen.

(At least, if the echoed 'Moyashi' and the hissed 'BaKanda' were anything to go on.)

Bookman was further startled when the creature grabbed his arm and hauled him to his feet.

"Walk." He growled, and for a moment Bookman obeyed without question, following his instructions on where to go.

"Excuse me," Bookman started, not able to take the silence much longer and having a burning curiosity about where they were going. "Where are you taking me?"

"Don't worry about that just now." He was informed quietly. "Just walk." There was silence for a few moments longer before Bookman stopped and turned, craving his neck to look the taller creature in the eye.

"I have a right to know where you are taking me." The other growled, baring teeth at the unfazed Bookman.

"You're being set free." The response was not one Bookman had been expecting. He blinked a couple of times, trying to wrap his mind around the words. "Now, walk!" Bookman was shoved forward, but he paid no mind. Darryl couldn't be here, there was no chance of that. That had to mean that there was someone who attempted worse than Bookman's supposed kidnapping.

"Why have you decided that?" He asked slowly, regaining his ability to walk after nearly falling over his own feet. The other ignored him, and Bookman felt annoyance rush through him- - -it was almost as if he had to deal with a fourteen year old, uncooperative Darryl once more. "What reasons do you have for letting me go?"

"My own, which are none of your concern."

"I ask for what reasons you decided to free me." Bookman stated coldly, not in the mood for dealing with any type of mood the master of the castle was in any longer. The beast ignored him at first, and the old man's mind raced. Darryl, he knew, had no idea where he was; he doubted the horse would have been able to find its way out of the forest so quickly, nor would it be able to find its way back, as they had been quite lost. So there was no doubt in his mind that the boy was at the village house, all but oblivious to his current predicament.

"A life has been exchanged for yours." The monster said harshly, the words startling Bookman out of his thoughts. "A young boy, with red hair, offered to stay in your place." Bookman's eyes narrowed slightly. So Darryl did know where he was- - -stupid boy. He muttered something about murdering idiotic apprentices, but was ignored once more. "I think you should be grateful, old man. He's right; no matter how resilient you think you may be, the dungeons down there are no place for a man as old as you."

"I would have been quite fine, thank you." Bookman said with finality, coming to a stop. He refused to allow Darryl to take his place due to the boy's lack of preservation skills and misplaced sense of judgement. "I forbid the continuation of this so called trade. Take me back." The enormous creature towered over him, but Bookman held his ground and glared back. The monster stared at him a moment longer before glancing over his shoulder and looking down both hallways. For a moment, Bookman thought he'd won, and he allowed a small smirk to break through and show on his face.

As he did, though, one of the vine-like appendages on the monster's back wrapped around his waist and lifted him easily into the air. Bookman held back a startled cry as they continued walking down the hallway. Knowing that he had ultimately lost, Bookman resigned himself to his fate as the hallway took them back to the main castle.

As they passed, Bookman's eyes trailed over the worried candlestick and the glaring clock beside it. Allen looked positively beside himself, muttering under his breath as his silver eyes followed the duo. Kanda was glaring at them without interest.

"Idiot, I told you this whole damn thing was a bad idea!" Bookman heard the clock roar at the boy as they rounded the corner. Allen's response was lost in the hallways as they continued silently.

"Gramps?" The sound from the boy caught his attention; even the monster stopped walking. Bookman looked at Darryl in his normal way: eyeing the boy up and down disapprovingly. The red head was wearing his travel clothes, the cloak muddy and torn, leaves, sticks and mud clinging to his face, clothes, hair. His emerald eye was filled with worry, for himself or the man trapped in the strange appendages of a monster, Bookman wasn't quite sure. He was panting, blinking several times as if to reassure himself that he was getting what he bargained for.

"You complete and utter fool." Bookman hissed at him. Darryl's eye went wide; this was clearly not the response he expected from his master. "At least before, I had knowledge you were safe at home. You idiot boy, what have you done?" Darryl's face paled with each word that left Bookman's lips; he started shaking lightly, his breath coming in small gasps at a slightly faster pace than before.

"That's enough." The monster growled. "I told you to stay in the room, Lavi, and wait for Miss Lenalee to serve tea." Bookman puzzled over the name for a moment before realizing that Darryl had lied about it, saying that his name was Lavi. Bookman nodded once, curtly and in grudging approval, at the boy now known as Lavi. The boy smiled weakly in relief, allowing the doorway to support his weight as Bookman was once again pulled down the hallway towards the castle entrance.

Lavi. Bookman thought about the boy's choice of name, but disregarded it in an instant in favor of thinking why Darryl had decided to change names yet again, though without his permission this time. The only thing he could think of was that the idiot boy who came after him had a plan for escape.

Once he did, there was no doubt this monster would come after him. He would search the village for them both, and destroy it in the process. Bookman glared down at the monster carrying him, but the other seemed lost in it's own thoughts. Thinning his lips as the doorway came into view, Bookman returned his thoughts to Lavi's escape plans. Once the boy got out and became 'Darryl' again, Bookman decided, they would have to leave the town. This creature could search all he wanted, but he would never find the red head ever again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tyki growled, still dragging the old man down the hall. Neither noticed the teacup that followed them, both lost in thought.

(Behind them, Rhode narrowed her eyes at the old man and stuck her tongue out at him; if the old man saw anything of her immaturity, he didn't say anything.)

The master of the castle was deep in thought, annoyed. He had expressively told Lavi to stay in the room and wait for Lenalee, and the boy had pointedly disobeyed him. Growling once more, Tyki glared at the doors passing by as if they would do more harm to the two.

"Tyki, wait- - -!" Came from down the hallway, and Tyki ignored whomever it was firmly, trying to keep the anger reigned in.

(He struggled to keep balance- - -if his white side gave in, then he'd do more damage than he wanted to to the old man, and consequently to the red head in his dining room; if his black side gave in, he would release both and ruin any chance, no matter how small and fragile, to give his family and servants their lives back.)

Tyki opened the front door and pushed the old man out, not gently yet not harshly.

"Skinn!" He yelled up as Bookman stumbled slightly on the steps. "The old man is leaving." A loud, indecipherable roar was his answer.

Bookman turned to him, dark eyes calculating and cold, his mind made up.

"Do not hurt my apprentice." He stated in an almost detached manner. Tyki snorted- - -the old man thought that he could give him orders? As if Tyki were a child, forced to obey the rules of the Millennium Earl once more, as if the old man was running the controls.

"What happens to him is no longer your concern." Bookman's eyes flashed, but Tyki could see him holding back what he wanted to say. "You are free to go." With that dismissive, Tyki turned and walked through the castle doors again, slamming them shut behind him.

He turned to find Rhode looking up at him expectantly.

"You aren't going to let him stay in the same place you had the geezer, are you?" She asked seriously. "Because that is definitely not the way to start a relationship, you know."

"Oh?" Tyki murmured, walking towards the dining room. "And you think that holding one's old mentor hostage in a damp, cold room is a better way to start it, darling?"

"No!" She giggled, spinning around every other step she took. "But you need to fix it- - -and fast to at least make him fall in love with you." Rhode stopped suddenly, gasping as an idea hit her. "You could give him your old room!" Tyki froze and turned to look at the teacup on the floor.

"Come again, darling?" She beamed at him, hopping up to him and squirming excitedly when he picked her up so that her violet eyes met his.

"Your old room, the one you have when Mother and Father stay in mine and I take yours." She explained. Tyki nodded once, then thought about it carefully. "It'll allow you two to get closer faster..." Rhode said enticingly. "Besides," she glanced around, lowering her voice so that only her uncle could hear her next words, "after the Tease become full grown, there's only a short while before the Roses bloom fully, and then we stay stuck like this forever."

Tyki sighed in annoyance, knowing she was right and hating it completely. Placing Rhode down on the floor once more, Tyki continued towards the dining room.

He threw the door open, not particularly caring when Lavi jumped and whirled around to face him, almost knocking the chair he had been in over. The boy was gasping for breath, his visible green eye wide and frightened. His clothes were wrinkled, most likely from traveling, and his face was flushed.

"Come with me, I'll lead you to your room." Lavi paled, the flush on his face disappearing as Tyki turned slightly. He spotted Allen, the silver candlestick clearly having left the moody clock behind as he rushed to make the newcomer feel as welcome as possible. "Allen, we'll need your help."

The silver candlestick came over, looking run down and tired. When Tyki gave him an inquiring look, Allen nodded toward Lavi.

"He came from the same village as Master." He started, having been talking to the red head for the past couple minutes. "Evidently, Master knew he would come here. He told Lavi to tell me that there were debts I needed to pay." Allen's red mark stood out spectacularly against how pale he was getting. "So...many...zeros..." Tyki chuckled under his breath as Allen calculated the amount of money he'd need to send his Master.

"Well, Lavi?" Tyki said at the door when he realized the red head wasn't following him. "Come." Lavi sent a despairing look at Lenalee, but the teapot didn't notice it; she was busy trying to convince the teacup to follow her back to the kitchens. "Lavi, let us go."

"I'm coming." Lavi said finally, moving forward and following slowly behind Tyki. They walked in silence, Tyki leading the boy to the rooms in the upper part of the castle, Lavi trailing behind him confused.

"Say something to him." Tyki looked at Allen, who gestured at Lavi. "Anything! The weather, the Earl, the castle- - -just something! This silence is absolutely suffocating!"

"Um, where are we going?" Allen and Tyki turned to Lavi, who looked confused. Allen looked relieved for the sudden question, while Tyki raised an eyebrow behind the mask on his face.

"I am taking you to your room." Tyki said slowly. Lavi flushed at having something explained to him as though he were a child, but continued on nevertheless.

"Aren't I staying down there?" He asked, gesturing to the lower levels of the castle. "Where you had Gramps?" Allen and Tyki exchanged a look of confusion- - -did the boy want to stay down there?

"I'd prefer not to place people down there." Tyki said softly, "However, if that is where you wish to be placed..." Lavi's eye widened some more at the implication and shook his head furiously

"No, no, no!" He laughed nervously, trying to cover up his anxiety. "I'm sure whatever room you put me in will be fine!" Still laughing nervously, Lavi glanced around. "So, uh...which part of the castle are we in, exactly?"

"The South portion." Tyki stopped, motioning for Lavi to look outside the window they were by. Lavi glanced at him before unsurely stepping beside the taller creature and looking at where he was gesturing.

Outside there was a figure standing, hand on the pillar beside it. It was alert, gaze outward. There was something protective in the way it stood, making it seem ethereal and almost beautiful in the moonlight; and the closer Lavi looked, the more familiar the statue became.

"That is our younger Noah, Jasdevi." Tyki said softly. Lavi glanced at him, stunned when he saw the sadness that seemed to overcome Tyki's entire being. "They were our 'twin' boys, though they weren't found together. Actually, Devitto had been found a good year or so before Jasdero stumbled in."

"What are they doing?" Lavi asked, looking back at the still figure standing. He cried out sharply when it spun around suddenly, hanging onto the pillar with one hand as its feet pressed firmly against the same pillar. It waved madly at them, and there was enough moonlight to let Lavi see that it was the statue he had seen crouched over the door he went into.

That wasn't female?

"They guard an entrance to the castle." Tyki said firmly, waving back once and seeming to pull himself back together. He didn't seem to notice Lavi's sudden shock as he realized the long haired female statue was actually male. "Come along, Lavi. The nights grows late."

"Where's your room?" Lavi asked curiously. Tyki paused, faltering in his steps at the unanticipated question. In his hand, Allen snickered, ignoring the sharp glare Tyki sent him.

"My room is on the east end of the castle." He answered stiffly. They continued in silence for a moment before Allen decided to speak.

"The castle is now your home as much as ours, Lavi." The candlestick said warmly, ignoring another one of Tyki's sharp looks. "Feel free to explore if you want to." Lavi managed a small smile for Allen, liking the boy more and more each time they spoke.

"I don't think that pertains to me." He said almost cheerfully. "I mean, even though I get a nice room and all, I'm still a prisoner, right?"

He directed the question at Tyki, but it went unanswered as the other opened a door suddenly, moving aside so that Lavi could walk in. Inside was a huge bed, covered with a dark blue comforter and a ton of pillows, a dresser, and a full length mirror. There were two doors, as Tyki explained, one leading to a bathroom and the other to a small walk-in closet. There were two nightstands on either side of the bed, and Lavi jumped as Tyki addressed him once more.

"Miss Lenalee will come get you for breakfast tomorrow." Lavi turned to face Tyki; the other male had shaken off anything that could have resulted in any form of sympathy from the nineteen year old, leaving behind a cold creature in the form of a warden. "You are expected to be awake and dressed for the day. Good night." Without waiting for an answer, Tyki shut the door and turned away, stalking down the hall.

"That," Allen said slowly as they moved down the hall, "could have gone better, you know."

"Shut up." Tyki snapped back. He had been thrown off guard too much by this boy: first when he yelled at him for the treatment of his mentor, then the sudden offer to take the old man's place, and then again just now when he asked where Tyki's own room was. For a moment Tyki had felt as though he were fifteen again, learning how to properly court someone of high standards.

He hated that feeling. 


	8. Walk Away Maybe

This feels horribly choppy and...I dunno. Ugh. I've been working on different parts of it at different times, and now it's just...meh. Totally not up to the usual stuff. This is a total mostly-filler-with-a-random-important-part-at-the-end. Double meh. Anyway, I decided to use the Disney version for this part, clearly. I apologize for injuring Tyki severely.

The few anonymous reviews I get will probably go the the reviews page because they'll read this and go 'what the hell did I say to get _that_ response?' haha I write responses as soon as I get them (usually) so I don't even remember what I'm responding to, haha XD

d-gray-geek: I will, don't worry. XD I'll make a note of it in whichever chapter I happen to finish when it goes up. And no, I don't mind. XD haha I hope you like this chapter as well! XD and as response to your last reviews to Jekhipe: it's no problem, darling, really. XD my own RL is slowly winding down from it's previous chaotic state, and I've introduced myself to the x-men fantom due to the newest movie (first class) coming out. XD haha and thank you for the Lavi/Cross support...I wasn't sure if people would read that and go 'WTF?' like I did when I read it. XD haha

Notte di luna: it's no problem at all! Thank you for reviewing! XD

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 8

The next few days went by in a blur to Darryl- - -no, Lavi.

He was woken up by Lenalee at seven in the morning (god, who even got up at seven? It was too early!), when the teapot came with Rhode. If Lenalee couldn't get him up, the excited teacup could by jumping on him and yelling in his ear. If he tried to ignore Rhode, well, it just made her louder and more excitable. Today was no exception as Rhode screamed excitedly in his ear about someone's birthday, giggling like crazy when Lavi tried to push her off and cover his head with the blankets. Instead of getting discouraged, Rhode moved under the covers with him and proceeded to wake him up in her normal way.

Lavi needed a new alarm system.

After forcing himself off the extremely comfortable bed, Lavi had to remind himself mentally that Darryl didn't exist here in the castle; at the same time, he was fighting with the armoire that had been in the closet.

For some reason, it was female. She was a dark brown armoire, with black accents and a design of a clock in the middle of her. Her name was Miranda Lotto, and Lavi spent the better part of getting ready for the day trying to calm the woman down. She was a mess; she tripped over nothing, and spilled clothes all over the floor in her haste to make things right. When it failed, she would cry out apologies left and right, then fall again with a surprised scream.

And every now and then, Lavi could hear her muttering under her breath. It sounded like a song, and the lyrics were clearly something that troubled her greatly.

"Um, Miranda?" He asked, interrupting something that sounded like 'Full of doom and gloom and misery, what a dumb and ugly duck'. She let out a familiar, startled shriek, jumping up and dropping a couple of shirts on the floor.

"Oh, Lavi." She panted slightly, turning around to smile at him. "I didn't see you there. Would you like to pick out some clothes to wear?"

"Yes, please." Lavi said carefully, all too aware what a careless word would do to the woman. Miranda smiled and opened her doors. As soon as she did, clothes spilled out in piles on the floor.

"Oh, no!" The woman wailed. "I'm so sorry, I can't seem to get a hang of this just yet!" Miranda rushed to try and remedy the situation only to get her legs caught in the cloth. With her startled scream, she fell to the floor; Lavi managed to catch her before her face made contact with the carpet in the bedroom. "Oh, thank you Lavi!"

"It's no problem." Lavi grunted as he pulled her up properly. Miranda groaned as he did, looking for all the world as if she wanted nothing more than to bang her head against the wall. "It's fine, Miranda, really." She gave him a shaky smile before taking a deep breath.

"Let's try that again." She stammered out.

Following his getting dressed, Allen came to his room to bring him to the dining room (they spent a lot of time in this room, don't they?) for breakfast. Lavi liked talking with Allen. The candlestick was calm, and had an almost gentleman like manner that made Lavi grin. The only downside of talking to Allen was- - -

"Oi. Moyashi." Allen's eye twitched slightly as he stopped, causing Lavi to stop as well.

"Yes, BaKanda?" The dark clock glared at them both before turning away with a huff.

Kanda hated the both of them, it seemed. He was constantly glaring at the both of them. Allen, in particular, seemed to be in trouble with him. Anytime the candlestick came near the clock, Kanda would scowl deeper and order everyone else with more harshness than before. He was the one who kept them all on schedule, and he did so with a strictness that reminded Lavi of Bookman.

Lavi loved to mess with his head.

"Yuu-chan!" He greeted cheerfully before the clock could say what he wanted. Lavi knew what he was going to say anyway- - -they were running late, as usual.

Kanda's eye twitched almost violently as he turned his glare on Lavi. Lavi beamed at him and waved.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO STOP CALLING ME THAT?" Kanda all but screamed. His hand twitched by his side, where (so Allen told him) a sword Kanda had named Mugen was usually placed.

"Morning, Yuu-chan!" Lavi said anyway; Allen stifled a laugh next to him while Kanda glared daggers at them both; the clock was taking deep breaths, as if he were trying not to lose his temper any more than he already had

"You're. Late." He growled through tightly clenched teeth, his entire body shaking in a barely suppressed rage. "Move."

"You're so bossy, Yuu-chan." Lavi half whined, half scolded. Kanda's hand twitched again, causing Lavi to grin at him and walk down the hall faster. "Come along, Allen, before Yuu-chan decides it's off with our heads with his infamous Mugen!" Allen snickered a bit more, catching up with the red head easily.

"Why do you insist on riling up Kanda?" He asked him. Lavi shrugged.

"He all but sets himself up for it." Allen smiled again as they entered the dining room to find food out on the table. Tyki stood by his normal seat, just next to the head of the table, and Lavi moved to sit on the opposite side of him. "Good morning, Tyki."

"You're late." They were the same words Kanda used, but with Tyki it was more of a gentle amusement in some way rather than an outright scolding. Lavi grinned, and Tyki shook his head. "Never mind that now, then. Sit and eat." Lavi obliged. Across from him, standing as still as she could with her excited quivering, Rhode stood by her uncle.

Within minutes, Lenalee had come in and directed the utensils serving the food, making sure that they both had been served before turning to look at Tyki.

"What shall we do for dinner tonight, Tyki?" She asked as she usually did. Lavi frowned slightly, inspecting everything around them when he realized there was something different about the situation. Tyki shrugged, picking up a glass of orange juice and sipping from it as he thought.

"Make his favorite!" Rhode burst out suddenly, making them all jump. "What is it, Uncle Tyki, that-that, um..." She thought hard. As she did, Tyki placed his hand over her gently, smiling softly at her.

"I'm sure you could come up with something appropriate for today, Miss Lenalee." The teapot smiled.

"Mew." With a loud purr, Lulubell jumped onto the table. As soon as she did, Tyki pulled out a small saucer and poured some milk into it, placing it in the open space to his right. Lulubell lapped up a bit of the creamy white liquid before jumping into Tyki's lap and curling up.

The cat had startled Lavi the first time he saw it. She had been sitting just outside his room when he had went to go to bed. Lavi had stared at her with wide eyes, unsure of who she was or what she was doing there. The black cat stood after a few moments of staring, coming closer and sniffing at his leg apprehensively. Lavi, still unsure of what to do, had leaned down and petted her ears.

Lulubell purred loudly and arched herself against his leg, her tail curling around it as if to say 'I approve', though what she had been approving was unclear to Lavi.

Since then she has made a habit of appearing whenever Lavi least expected it and trying, in some way, to get him and Tyki closer. It was startling how often he would go into a room and find the master of the castle there, and then not be able to get out because the door had somehow been locked. More often than not, Tyki would have to destroy the lock on the door for them to get out; when they did, Lulubell was always found nearby, licking her paws as some crazed feather duster bemoaned the failure of yet another plan. Lavi wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but decided to leave well enough alone.

At the moment, though, Lulubell was more interested in curling in Tyki's lap and napping, her gold eyes closed as she purred.

"What's today?" Lavi asked slowly. Rhode blinked at him from underneath her uncle's hand before looking up at the male. Shaking off the hand keeping her still, Rhode crossed the table.

"It's Uncle Tyki's birthday!"

Lavi stared at her and blinked. Rhode blinked back and rolled her eyes. Muttering something that sounded like 'I told you this morning!', she went back to her uncle and leaned up, telling him something in a low voice. Tyki frowned at her slightly before looking up and realizing Lavi was watching them.

"If you'll excuse me." He stood and strode to the door quickly. Lulubell glared at him with her gold eyes, her bell making its usual noise, as she landed on the table gracefully. "Do try not to make any sort of fuss over me today, Miss Lenalee." The teapot smiled unsurely, turning away when Tyki stopped at the door as if he just remembered something. "Lavi." The red head looked up when his name was called suddenly. "You came too close to my quarters while you were..." Tyki paused, looking for the proper word. "...exploring, yesterday."

That was probably the one thing Lavi hadn't expected when he'd taken Bookman's place; the first morning he'd been here, Tyki had told him quietly (with a lot of encouragement and word-filling-in from Allen and Rhode) that he would be free to roam the castle as he wished so long as he stayed as far from Tyki's room as possible.

"Sorry." Lavi murmured quietly. Tyki didn't acknowledge his apology.

"Just make sure to avoid it today, and for the rest of your stay here." And before he could let Lavi respond, he was gone.

"Can you believe it?" Lavi cried out a moment later, when he was sure Tyki was gone. "Out of all things- - -I won't go in his room! Christ, I barely want to be here as it is!"

"Calm down, Lavi." Lenalee said gently, smiling at him. "Tyki just likes his privacy. Especially now, when he needs a small escape from this whole ordeal and just wants to spend time with his family." Lavi looked down, feeling slightly guilty when he saw the soft look Lenalee sent after Tyki. She could clearly empathize with the master of the castle. "After all, things have been difficult the past ten years or so. Even the family needs some private time now and then."

Lavi frowned, looking at Lenalee again.

"Why have they been difficult?" He asked. Lenalee squeaked, the look on her face clearly saying she had said too much. "Lenalee?"

"It's nothing!" The teapot said hurriedly, moving to direct a couple of dishes to clean up Tyki's spot. Lulubell, curled up by her now empty saucer, mewled in annoyance when a spoon tripped and hit her nose. She stood and stalked over to Lavi, curling up in his lap. Licking at her paw and rubbing her ear with it, she looked up at Lavi with slight interest; when she deemed him safe enough, she curled again and closed her eyes to take a nap.

He petted her for a few moments before picking Lulubell up and placing her gently on the floor.

"I'm going to go look around some more." He said as he headed for the door. "Maybe I'll finally find a library in this place."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Why would you tell him about personal things, Rhode?" Tyki glanced down at the teacup; he hadn't said a word until he was in his room, the one that had once belonged to the Millennium Earl as the master of the castle. Rhode had insisted he take it a few weeks after the whole fiasco started, and with the combined efforts of Rhode, Lulubell, Mimi, Allen and Lenalee, they had finally convinced him to take it. "He didn't need to know that today was my birthday."

"It's not that personal when the whole castle is trying to celebrate it for you, Uncle Tyki." Rhode snorted. "He was bound to find out from Allen or Lenalee at some point today."

"That's not..." Tyki looked down at his niece; she had a pout on her face that made him smile. "All right, all right." The tea cup squealed happily and rushed as fast as she could in the direction of the dining room.

"I'll make sure everything goes properly in the kitchens!" She cried. Tyki watched her go with a slight smile on his face before turning to the darker corner of of the room.

A rose bloomed, almost completely grown, two butterflies fluttering together around it. Tyki approached the table, pressing a clawed hand to the glass protecting the rose and butterflies. After a moment's hesitation, he lifted it gently, setting the protective dome on the floor and watching the two strange butterflies as they floated around the room.

"Maybe two years, then." He said thoughtfully, his gaze falling back to the rose. It was a truly magical thing, the rose Hevlaska left for them. It was her gift and curse, all wrapped up in the small packages of a rose and two Tease. What was left of their family had gotten together the first few months when they hadn't return to their normal forms; Tyki had relayed Hevlaska's message about love, which sent Lulubell up on the rafters, hissing, and had Rhode groaning, her face scrunch up in annoyance. They had all looked at the then-bud of a rose, and Tyki had a fleeting thought he had never shared with the two girls with him (it still bothered him from time to time, but in the entire year that had already passed he managed to keep it to himself): _What would happen when the rose and Tease died?_ "Just how much longer will this go on for? Hmm? When will this end?" Stuck in his musings, Tyki absently reached out as he normally did, his fingers going to the petals to be sure the plant was as healthy as it looked.

The change was almost instant.

He touched the petals, noting with confusion that his skin looked lighter than it had for the past year. Tyki watched in stunned silence as the magic from the rose filled his being, his fingers shortening and becoming softer, his clothes lighter and his entire body smaller. His hair shortened, coming to a stop at its usual length around his shoulders, and a glance to a nearby mirror showed a young man with wild brown hair and worn, old clothes- - -his hobo clothes, he realized with a start, which meant that must be him- - -before seeming to ripple; his hair was tamed, slicked back and eyes visible, a black suit and matching hat. It rippled again, the final image being him with plain black pants and a button up long-sleeve shirt rolled up to his elbows, his hair wild and free in a seemingly controlled way. The mirror proved what he suspected.

He was human, for however brief it was.

The entire thing happened so quickly, though, that Tyki felt a strangled gasp leave him as he stumbled back, his fingers leaving the petals. He couldn't breathe as he looked at his beast form once again, the magic lost. His mind raced frantically as he thought of what it could possibly mean; such a thing had never happened before, and his heart beat in time to his irregular breaths as he tried in vain to control himself.

A butterfly landed on his shoulder, and for a moment it seemed as though Hevlaska herself spoke in his ear.

_Soon._

He stumbled back more, turned and bolted out of the room for fear of what could possibly happen.

When he managed to calm himself, he was in front of the room he had given Lavi to stay in. Confused, he touched the wooden door, only to feel a jolt travel up his arm and down his spine. Frowning a bit, he waited, his hand pressing firmly on the barrier to the boy's room and the hall. Nothing happened after that, though what he had been expecting to happen, Tyki just didn't know.

He turned and left the hallway, heading for the library to see if he could calm his mind with a book. The fact that he couldn't read didn't bother him; at the moment, he wanted something that was a semblance of something normal. He had often seen, when he was much younger, before the Millennium Earl had come into their lives, his mother reading to calm her mind. The idea that Tyki had carried from then on was that the books helped when things were bad, and it was a habit he had picked up when the Millennium Earl came and- - -

Well, it was habitual.

With a firm resolve, he headed towards the library, ignoring the confused look he got as he passed by Lavi in the hallway.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jasdevi hung upside down from their perch, bored. Their eyes moved slowly from each side of the garden, their arms crossed firmly on their chest. Their hair was all over the place, some of it touching the floor while another part was tied to a pillar, and yet another part was somehow wrapped around themselves as well.

"Boring!" They cried, their gaze turning into a glare. "Did Hevlaska really _have_ to pin us in one spot? She didn't do this to Krory! That old geezer can move as much as he wants!"

There was silence.

"No fair, no fair!" They whined, shaking their head and throwing more of their hair all over the place.

"What's no fair?" Jasdevi swung upwards, landing on the side of their pillar and peering at the opened window.

"Noth- - -" A jolt went through them, their eyes widening when they saw Lavi. For a moment, a quick split second, they both saw the red head clearly, as two different people looking through their own eyes; they had separated.

Devitto saw Jasdero for the first time in a year, and Jasdero looked back at him with the same wide, shocked eyes.

"Devi- - -"

"Dero- - -"

They reached for each other in shock only to merge together seamlessly once again, the entire thing happening too fast for Lavi to see properly. They hung off the balcony again, their hair in a knotted mess around them; in their mind, the boys were still staring at one another in shock.

"What the fuck was that?" Devitto asked, annoyed, his arms crossed over his chest. "What just happened?" Jasdero whined slightly, his hands shaking. Devitto, unthinkingly, grabbed them to stop, his thoughts flying around them as normal.

And Lavi, outside of their mind and thoughts, was almost run down by Tyki looking for solace in the library.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He entered quietly, an hour or so after dinner had been served, ignoring the feeling of unease he felt from entering.

It wasn't like he could help it; Rhode had mentioned during dinner that Tyki liked to take walks in the garden, something about speaking with Lenalee's older brother Komui, who tended them. Lavi took it as an invitation to sneak into Tyki's room and have a small look around.

_This is Tyki's room..._ He thought, creeping around a silver table. It was dark in the room, candles lighting the way and allowing a soft glow to fill the room. The dark curtains added to the creepy feeling Lavi was getting, but the room was beautifully furnished and meticulously clean.

"It doesn't seem like a monster's bedroom." He muttered to himself quietly. He picked up a candle as he moved more in the room. Behind him, something moved slightly; assuming it was just Lulubell, Lavi ignored it in favor of the one thing that caught his eye.

A rose, red and almost in bloom, was covered by a glass dome. Two butterflies, black and purple and unlike any other butterfly he had ever seen, fluttered around each other and the rose.

With bated breath, Lavi crept over, placing the candle on the table. Glancing around briefly, Lavi gently touched the glass and lifted it off the rose.

The butterflies floated up as soon as they were free, twirling around each other as they fluttered to the ceiling. Lavi watched them for a second before returning his attention to the rose.

It had no thorns, and the sight of the not-fully-bloomed petals drew his attention to them. Placing the glass on the floor, his fingertips touching the top of it as he straightened, Lavi's eyes stayed firmly on the rose; above him, the butterflies began their descent.

"This is beautiful." He murmured quietly; his hand reached out slowly, his fingers inches from the petals. A butterfly landed on his shoulder, the other landing beside the rose. Just as he felt the tip of the petal on his fingertip- - -

He yanked his hand back to avoid it getting broken by the glass slamming on the table.

Tyki's eyes, gold and furious, glared out from the darkness of the room. His arms were wrapped around the glass, the remaining butterfly trapped inside the glass. It beat almost frantically at the glass, seeming to be desperate to get the freed butterfly still on Lavi's shoulder. Tyki was growling, something Lavi found almost disturbing as he backed away slowly.

"Ty-Tyki..." He stammered slowly, hands up in submission and a gesture of peace. "What- - -how did...?"

"I told you to stay out." Tyki growled louder; Lavi stumbled over his feet, losing his balance and regaining it just as quickly. "I gave orders to not ever come into this room."

"I'm sorry, I just- - -"

"**Get out!**" Tyki roared finally, throwing something Lavi couldn't really see, but instinctively ducked anyway. It crashed into the wall behind him; while he was on the floor, Tyki had hauled himself over to him and grabbed his arm in a fierce grip Lavi was sure would bruise later. "**Get out!**" He pulled Lavi to the door, his fingers digging into Lavi's arm and pinching his skin.

At the door, Tyki literally threw him out; he stumbled, hitting the wall behind him and barely avoiding slamming his head into the stone.

Lavi ran from the entrance of the room blindly, not knowing or caring where he was headed. It wasn't until he came to a door and found himself facing the front gate did he even realize where he was headed.

He stood for a moment, battling it out in his mind: Lavi, he knew, should turn around and apologize. He had no right to go in that room, under any circumstances, and the fact that he did made something in his chest catch; Tyki had trusted him enough to allow him to wander freely even though he was a replacement prisoner for Bookman, and Lavi had broken one of the only real rules Tyki had given him. Lavi would turn around and apologize, without any prompting from anyone; as it was, he could already hear Allen and Rhode coming after him, shouting for him to wait and not do anything stupid. Darryl, however...

Well, Darryl just wanted to go back to the village with Bookman and get out of town as quickly as possible.

He made his decision and bolted out the door, ignoring Skinn's following yell. Not quite sure if he was Lavi running from a horrible mistake or Darryl bolting for his freedom now, he forced the gate open and darted into the trees surrounding the castle. His breath was already coming in harsh pants, his side hurt from running, but he ran on, desperate to somehow get to town.

When he felt he was far enough from the castle, though he had a gut feeling he wasn't as far away as he would have liked, he stopped. He placed his hands on his knees, leaning over as he attempted to catch his breath.

That's when he heard it.

There was growling; harsh, deep...loud. The red head felt his heart clench painfully in his chest; his blood ran cold, making his entire body freeze in terror. That was not a normal animal sound; it sounded like a wolf that was at least twice its normal size. Lavi's- - -no, wait, his name was Darryl- - -eyes wide in surprise, he looked up to find himself surrounded by glowing eyes and bared teeth. Breath coming in short gasps as he spun around and realized he was surrounded, the red head struggled to force his mind to work, to come up with something to save him.

_Shit, I should have stayed at the damn castle!_

A wolf advanced suddenly, jaws snapping as it jumped from above him; he yelped and ducked, covering his head and throwing himself to the ground. Darryl- - -hold on, he'd already made the change to Lavi- - -rolled until he felt his back hit something. When he opened his eyes, he found himself looking up at another set of jaws, teeth bared and poised to bite. He scrambled backwards on his hands and feet, doing an awkward crab walk.

He- - -_Lavi_- - -_**Darryl, dammit!**_- - -was in the middle of the circle again. There were a chorus of growls and snarled around him as the wolves closed in on him. His mind raced, trying to come up with a solution, but nothing was forthcoming.

_Come on, come on, **think**, damn you!_

A wolf snuck up on him while his mind raced; he let out a yowl of pain when its jaws clamped down on his arm. Shoving the vile creature away, the red head ignored the blood dripping into his palm and moved in a way to attempt to keep all wolves in sight- - -he wouldn't give another the opportunity to attack him again.

Two moved at once. He managed to get one away, but the other sank its teeth into his calf, making him fall back and hiss.

The wolf was gone suddenly gone, though the pain remained. His eyes cracked open- - -he must have closed them when he fell- - -and he saw a tall dark shape, half-buried in the amount of wolves that had thrown themselves at him in a rush to attack. He couldn't think, and it took him a while to recognize the shape of the person fighting for him.

Tyki.

He watched as the wolves snapped at any part of Tyki they could reach, teeth glinting in the moon light and disappearing into whatever flesh they could find. Tyki handled them all with the grace of fighter used to battling many opponents at once, but was brought to a stop by a particularly savage swipe of claws against his back. Howling in pain, Tyki whirled around, grabbed the offending wolf, and threw it as hard as he could into a tree.

It connected with a yelp and didn't move again.

It also seemed to be the pack leader; as soon as it hit the tree, the others turned and bolted. A few snapped at Tyki once more, but they all left the two alone in the woods once more.

An awkward silence reigned between them.

"Th-Thanks." He murmured finally, shaken and pale-faced. Tyki didn't answer; the creature stood awkwardly, favoring his right side and wrapping a armored arm around his stomach and left torso. The red head, confused and dearly hoping the master of the castle wasn't mad, which made him annoyed with himself because Tyki had a right to be furious with him, reached out to touch him. "Ah...T-Tyki?"

Tyki threw his head back and roared, a sound so loud and primal the red head winced and drew his arm back. The sound that came from Tyki's throat was harsh and ragged, pained and furious at the same time- - -

He caught his breath as the sound ended abruptly; Tyki stumbled and fell. The monster hit the ground hard, shaking the earth a bit, and didn't get up again.

"Tyki!" He rushed to Tyki's side, reaching out again to touch the other's arm; he felt something cooling and wet, and when he pulled his hand back his fingers looked dark.

Blood.

Tyki was injured, possibly fatally, all because he didn't know how to control his temper and he left without thinking. The red head bit his lip, moving to stand a few feet away from the injured master, clearing his head so he could think. His breath began coming in short pants as Tyki lay on the ground, panic beginning to cloud his normally clear mind.

And as Tyki lay before him, injured and bleeding all over the place, he saw only two clear decisions.

He could stay Lavi and help Tyki back to the castle. The man...monster...creature...master was injured, and it was the red head's fault for running out so late at night. The least he could do was help Tyki back and tend to his wounds so they don't get infected, and then he could leave after. It would take him longer to get back, maybe; he wasn't sure just how quickly the monster before him healed. But he would at least be able to leave with a semi-clear conscious. He would be able to leave knowing he had saved someone who was loved by the people around him.

Or he could become Darryl again and just take off now; he doubted Tyki would follow after him now with the state he's currently in, which could give him and Bookman a head start when he gets back; they would move as fast as they could to leave and never come back. It was Tyki's choice to follow him. He certainly didn't ask him to, and he had hated being stuck in that damn castle to- - -

Screw Darryl.

Lavi heaved a slight sigh and bent down to help Tyki up. He ignored the fact that the master of the castle was taller than he was; instead, he grabbed one arm and slung it over his shoulder, half-dragging the near unconscious creature. Tyki groaned, muttering something unintelligibly, and Lavi ignored him, focused more on getting them back to the castle and treating the wounds the older had gained on his behalf.

It took a surprisingly short amount of time to get back to the castle, which proved what he had suspected- - -he hadn't gotten nearly as far away as he wanted to. And despite his choice, Lavi hesitated just outside the gate; Skinn, though he couldn't move far, appeared to be pacing the area in which he stood guard. He was speaking loud enough for his voice to carry, but quiet enough that the words weren't heard. Lavi couldn't see whom it was Skinn was speaking to from the distance he was at, but he assumed it would be Rhode or Allen.

With a nervous gulp, Lavi stepped onto the castle property.

The reaction was instant: Skinn turned on a dime despite his size, pointing at them. A few household objects- - -he saw Lenalee and Allen, even Lulubell- - -crowded around the door.

"Lavi!" Rhode gasped, somehow managing to fight her way to the front. "Where's- - -Uncle Tyki!" Lavi grinned tiredly at her; he could feel blood dripping down both his leg and his arm, mixing with the blood falling from Tyki's wounds. His legs were straining with the effort of holding the taller up, his arm shaky from the loss of blood.

"You need to move, you guys." Lavi groaned out. "He needs to get inside so that he can be treated." The sentence seemed to bring Lenalee out of her shock.

"Out of the way!" She moved everyone as best she could. "Allen, try to find clean cloths." The candlestick saluted and hopped off. "Rhode, tell Jerry to heat up and begin to boil some water. I'll be there shortly to get as much as I can." Rhode hastened to the kitchen, and Lenalee turned to Lavi again. "Come with me to a guest room- - -we'll need to treat him now." 


	9. Little Wonders

So, you guys have no idea how happy I am to get back to this. XD haha I'm hoping to finish at least most of it before...I dunno, the year ends I suppose (that's reasonable, right?). Anyway, I have separate parts of this written out, some more than others, of course, but it's a start, right? XD haha anyway, I added a twist in there (some of you may/may not have caught that...I feel as though I have quite a few silent readers...). I have no idea why I threw it in there- - -I just did. XD haha anyway, I didn't say this last time; but thank you, thank you all for being patient and for those of you who even went over and read 'Jekhipe' as a way to wait for this to be updated. I know it took me a while to finish that, but now I'm completely focused on this story. Thank you so much for sticking with me, and with 'A Bullet With Butterfly Wings'. I love you guys, so this chapter will be dedicated to all of you, all of the people who read and checked constantly for this to be updated, and who are enjoying and loving this as much as I am.

d-gray-geek: procrastination much? XD haha and yes, x-men: first class was (in my opinion) absolutely wonderful. My latest RL goal is to own it on DVD, preferably in blu-ray. XD haha and oh no! O_o the horror of Laven! XD kidding, kidding. I'm excited for the one-shot too- - -if it ever decides to be seen by humans other than myself, well, it's up to it. XD haha and for that, well...you'll have to wait for that one. XD I do have a part written where Lavi completely freaks out (it's currently my favorite chapter written thus far, and currently my only almost completed chapter). He would try, but there's a fair bit of distraction for him, too. XD

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 9

Lenalee ordered for hot water to clean Tyki off; Lavi didn't realize how hot it was until he had a cloth in hand and had shoved it into the water bowl only to pull it out with a slight yell- - -it was _scorching_. Gritting his teeth (as now was not a moment to be worried about himself), Lavi forced himself to ignore the scalding water and pulled the cloth out, working with difficulty at cleaning up Tyki and stopping the blood flow.

Lenalee made sure the temperature of the water never dropped (Lavi got used to it soon enough, and it didn't bother him so much anymore, which meant he was either working towards third degree burns, or had already achieved that particular, unwanted goal), and Lavi worked furiously, but while the flow of it slowed, Tyki never fully stopped bleeding. After a few moments, Lavi bandaged him up as best he could and dropped into a chair, exhausted. Somewhere nearby in the castle, a clock (meaning Kanda) snapped loudly that it was 'four-fifteen in the _fucking_ morning, so would whomever was bothering him kindly _shut the fuck up and let him sleep_?'

Lavi slumped lower, hand rubbing at his eye tiredly.

"Lavi..." The red head bolted up, head snapping to the door, where he expected to see Rhode or Lenalee. No one was there, and for a moment he thought he was hearing things (it was plausible; after all, he'd been put under a tremendous amount of stress as of late, trauma to Tyki included, and he'd been up almost twenty four hours as usual, not to mention the unusual situation he'd been placed in).

And then it came again.

"Lavi..." The red head turned his head slowly to find Tyki looking at him, golden eyes half open and unfocused. Lavi's jaw dropped slightly, but the master of the castle didn't seem to notice. "L- - -"

"Enough, enough." Lavi pressed his hand against Tyki's side, mindful of the bandaged wound. "What's wrong, Tyki? Where are you hurt?" Tyki didn't hear Lavi's questions; instead, he moved as if he were trying to get up.

"He's...out there..." Lavi frowned in confusion, hand reaching automatically to the bandaged side that had begun bleeding again. Tyki pushed his hand away weakly, intent on getting out of bed and chasing after whatever his mind was coming up with. "Dangerous..."

"Who is, Tyki?" Lavi asked, trying to get him to lay back. "I'll go get him later, ok?" _If Skinn will let me out of the castle again...which I doubt..._

"Lavi..."

"I'll try to get him, Tyki, I promise." Lavi pleaded, throat swallowing heavily around the words. Tyki was so upset and concerned, to the point where he was trying to follow this mystery person while possibly fatally injured. It simultaneously warmed Lavi's heart to see him so worried and made his blood freeze in his veins as he realized Tyki just wouldn't rest until whomever it was he worried for was safely beside him (the latter a reaction he would scrutinize at a later, much less pressing time). "Just tell me who it is! Who's out there alone?"

"What's going on?" Lavi whipped his head around to find Rhode forcing herself into the room by the closed door, her eyes narrowed as she approached them.

"He's hallucinating, I think." Lavi told her, trying to keep the panic from his tired voice. He bent down slightly and picked her up when she got close enough, placing her on the bed firmly. "He thinks there's someone out there, but he won't tell me who."

"What's wrong, Uncle Tyki?" Rhode asked softly, moving away from Lavi the second she was steady. Her gold eyes met the unfocused gold of her uncle, and his slurred words became more urgent.

"He's out there alone," Tyki gasped between panting breaths, moving his arms and wincing when the action pulled at his torn side. "It's dangerous at night...wolves..."

"No one is out there, please!" Rhode closed her eyes. "We are all here, calm yourself!"

"Lavi..." Tyki breathed out, trying to pick himself up even as he lost his strength and fell back against the pillows. Lavi remained confused, but a dawning of understanding rose in Rhode's eyes as she remembered her uncle's earlier panic at the boy leaving. "He'll get hurt...Lavi..."

"He's here!" Rhode surprised Lavi when she somehow managed to get a hold of her uncle's hand, dragging it across the bed as best and quickly as she could; after a moment of struggle, she dropped Tyki's hand on top of Lavi's own. Lavi didn't dare breathe as he watched Tyki's hand convulsed around his own, the clawed hand holding tightly onto his own human hand, almost as if to reassure himself of the red head's presence. Rhode continued, her voice wavering. "He's here, Uncle Tyki. Lavi's safe, inside the castle, just like the rest of us."

It was just what Tyki needed; his hand squeezed Lavi's once more before he fell unconscious again, his hand going lax around the red head's. Rhode took a deep, shaky breath and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Put me on the floor." She said quietly. Lavi hesitated, but moved to do as she asked. Rhode shook on the ground before heading off, Lavi assumed it was to the kitchens, without saying anything else to the red head tending to her uncle.

The next couple of days passed by in the same chaotic manner. Lavi stayed up all hours of the night, tending to the injured master of the castle. Part of it was the guilt he felt for leaving and inadvertently inflicting the wounds, and part of it was (obviously) he was the only one who could really change the bandages.

Tyki was in and out of it most of the time. Lavi wasn't sure if it was because of the pain from his wounds or the pain from having them cleaned and changed every two or three hours. Lenalee made sure to keep him stocked with warm, read 'scalding', water and clean bandages, and Rhode came in every now and then to keep her uncle company (she was, understandably, determined to not speak to Lavi other than the quiet orders to put her on the bed and then to place her again on the ground).

The wounds had been worse than Lavi had thought. The marks from the pack leader had been deep, stretching as far diagonally across his back as they could. There were deep bite marks in his arms and legs, and his favored left side had been because the wolves had managed to turn his abdomen into something resembling a chew toy. The worse ones on his back and side were the reason Lavi had to keep changing the bandages- - -the blood flow had slowed considerably as the hours went by, but they've yet to completely stop bleeding.

Lenalee nudged his hand from the bed; he was sitting in a chair, half asleep, not used to staying up more than two days in a row. Lavi jumped slightly when she did, one hand rubbing his eye while the other reached automatically toward Tyki and the cooled bowl of water.

"No, no." He looked over at Lenalee, who smiled softly. "He's fine for the moment."

"What is it then, Lenalee?" Lavi asked, his voice slurring a bit due to exhaustion. The teapot sighed, the noise coming out fond and slightly annoyed.

"You need sleep." The teapot insisted when Lavi shook his head. "Don't argue with me, Lavi. You need sleep. Tyki will still be here tomorrow when you wake up."

"But I- - -"

"No." Lenalee said firmly, cutting him off. "No buts. You won't win an argument with me, Lavi, don't try. Just do as I say and get some sleep." The red head's eyes slipped shut before he forced them open again and smiled sleepily at her. He opened his mouth again, but Lenalee wouldn't hear any of it. "Bed. Now."

"Yes, ma'am." Lavi stood shakily and wobbled out of the room (Lenalee had the great idea of placing Tyki's new room by Lavi's). Lenalee watched him go before turning to face Tyki.

"And you're awake, aren't you?" Tyki grinned tiredly, his golden eyes opening a bit to take in the teapot on the bed. "How long have you been up, hmm?"

"Just for a few moments." Lenalee shook, a mockery of when she had been able to shake her head fondly, and sighed. "What have I missed, Miss Lenalee?"

"Nothing." The teapot answered honestly. "Everyone has been waiting for you to be healed fully, and Lavi has been taking care of you." Tyki's eyes dimmed a bit, but Lenalee pretended not to notice. "I just sent him to bed. He's been up three days straight to take care of you, and I believe he had been heading for a fourth had I not forced him to bed."

"It's guilt." Lenalee rolled her eyes, but continued as if he hadn't spoken.

"At any rate, you should be thankful he stayed and made sure you healed."

"Thankful? Why on heaven and earth should I be thankful?" Tyki snorted, and the teapot rolled her eyes again. "It was his fault."

"I beg to differ, sir." She stated flatly. "You were the one who followed, I believe. He didn't ask for you to do such a thing. You worried about him leaving and went after him yourself."

"And if I hadn't, he would have been killed!" Tyki snapped at her, gold eyes turning to glare into her violet. "When I found him, the fool had been surrounded by a pack of wolves looking for easy prey like him! I saved his life, not the other way around, Miss Lenalee!"

"Yes, but it wouldn't have been on you. No one told you to go after him." Lenalee explained gently, though it was obvious the younger teapot was trying not to lose her own temper and snap back at the master she served. "You were the one who panicked when he took off, and even though many of us told you not to, you still chose to go. He helped you home and stayed to tend to your wounds. As much as you saved his life, he saved yours by making sure you got home safely and didn't bleed to death or have your injuries infected." Tyki fell silent, and Lenalee continued. "At any rate, you should thank him when he wakes again."

"Thank him?" Lenalee shot him a slight glare.

"Yes." She said firmly. "Because he could have left you out there to die, and he didn't." There was silence between the two of them for a long moment, Tyki looking determinedly away from the teapot and Lenalee all but glaring at the master of the castle.

"Fine." Tyki agreed through gritted teeth. "I will thank him in the morning. Agreed?"

"Thank you." Lenalee smiled gently and turned to leave. "I'll bring breakfast in the morning as well. Good night."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi yawned slightly as he entered the room Tyki was currently using, rubbing his eye with one hand and carrying a bowl of steaming water in his other hand.

"Sleep well?" Lavi jumped, a strangled sound escaping him as he looked up to where Tyki was sitting up, leaning against the headboard. There was a tray next to him, a half-eaten plate on it and a glass full of water by it. The master of the castle still had bandages on him, and it was there Lavi focused for the moment, privately thankful he hadn't spilled the water he had with him.

"How are your injuries?" He asked distantly, moving over. The bandages weren't as bloodied as they usually were, and Lavi wondered if the bleeding finally stopped. He stopped in front of Tyki, unwrapping the bandages on the creature's torso gently. Tyki kept silent as the red head took all the bandages off, dropping them in a small pile on the floor by him. "This is going to sting a little bit, all right?"

Before Tyki could answer, Lavi had pressed a hot, wet cloth against the wound on his side, making Tyki wince and pull away instantly. Lavi pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow when he did.

"Stop that." Lavi chided gently, leaning forward to clean it again.

"It hurts." The statement, though extremely quiet, was heard nonetheless. Lavi grinned, shaking his head slightly.

"If it gets infected, it will hurt more." He said patiently. Tyki moved away again when Lavi reached out to touch him with the cloth, and Lavi frowned at his childish antics. "Come, now, Tyki, stop behaving like a child and let me fix you." Tyki grudgingly allowed Lavi to press the clean cloth against him again, growling quietly in his throat and wincing when Lavi pressed the cloth against his healing injuries. They were quiet for another long moment before Lavi spoke. "Thank you for coming after me."

Tyki looked at the red head, but he was determinedly cleaning his wounds, refusing to meet Tyki's gaze. He watched as Lavi focused on wrapping the bandages around him; the red head was gentle, his hands warm, steady and sure. When he finished, Tyki placed his hand on Lavi's, making him meet his eyes in surprise and noting distantly that the boy's hands were unnaturally warm.

"Thank you for bringing me home." Lavi's jaw dropped, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly. Tyki smirked slightly. "And for tending to my injuries."

"I-I-I..." Lavi still couldn't speak, his eyes wide and locked on Tyki's. A jolt went up his arm, something filling him slowly from the spot where Tyki touched him. His breath faltered a bit, but he didn't move to pull away. "I-It wasn't...I mean, it was..."

His voice trailed off when Tyki pulled his own hand away, clearing his throat awkwardly and looking away.

"When do you think I'll be healed completely?" Tyki changed the subject abruptly, making Lavi blink in surprise at the sudden shift in mood and topic. His breath was still coming in slight pants, his eye wide; for a moment Lavi completely forgot Tyki's question, ignoring the master of the castle as he tried to calm his suddenly racing heart, filing that reaction next to his freezing blood reaction to scrutinize at a later point in time. "The gardens will need tending; I simply cannot trust Komui Lee and his band of workers to do such a job when they're only a few inches high."

Lavi frowned slightly, barely remembering the question in time, bending down to pick up the bloodied bandages to be washed. He did a few mental calculations- - -Tyki hadn't started bleeding when he changed them this time, so...

"Maybe another week or so?" He mused. Tyki threw him a glare at the answer, and Lavi shrugged slightly. "You lost quite a bit of blood. You need to be on bed rest until you can regain your strength."

"And whose fault is that?" Tyki couldn't help but snarl; something twisted in his gut when Lavi winced at the not-so-subtle accusation, though to his credit that was all he did.

"I apologize for running away." He said quietly. Tyki watched as he bowed slightly, then excused himself to bring the wrappings in his arms to Lenalee. There was a flash of red that had nothing to do with the blood staining the cloth, and it caught Tyki's attention.

And for the first time, his eyes were drawn to the red head's hands; they were red, as if there had been blisters and a burn that seemed to have yet to fade away. Lavi seemed to notice where his gaze went, and followed Tyki's line of sight with a slight frown. He flushed lightly, as if he had just notice or remembered them for the first time, and hid them under the bandages. Tyki opened his mouth to ask, but Lavi ducked out before he could say anything.

As he left, Rhode snuck in; she stopped at the door, an ecstatic look on her face when she realized her uncle was awake.

"Uncle Tyki!" She squealed, rushing forward and jumping as high as she could, all but begging to be placed on the bed. "You're awake!"

"Morning, Rhode." Tyki leaned down, wincing slightly at the pain in his side, and picked up the overly excited girl. Placing her on the bed and laughing softly when she nearly fell over, Tyki watched her in amusement as she proceeded to tell him about what had been happening in the castle while he had been unconscious. She was supposed to have commanded his attention as always, the violet teacup whom he favored and who favored him; for a few moments she did, making him smile as she jumped around the bed talking.

But there was a feeling in his gut that slowly blossomed and remained, and after a bit Tyki found himself glancing in the doorway every now and then, waiting for the red head to come back into the room.

"Uncle Tyki?" He looked down at Rhode; the teacup had stopped jumping and was staring up at Tyki apprehensively. When he looked at her, she continued. "I think maybe I made a mistake in having him come here." Her gold eyes filled slowly with tears. Rhode hated to admit she was wrong, but the evidence was nearly overwhelming proving her incorrect; if Tyki, her favorite person, hadn't been hurt going after Lavi, how many others would have been injured in her mistake before she realized she had made one? "I didn't want you to get hurt like this. I'm really, really sorry."

"Oh, Rhode." Tyki placed his hand gently on her. She sniffled and looked away.

"I think maybe he should leave." She whispered quietly. "So that he doesn't hurt us anymore than he already did."

"Shh, shh, Rhode." Tyki sighed heavily, glancing at the door again. As much as he wanted Lavi to come back, if only to find out what happened to his hands, he knew Rhode wouldn't want him coming in while she cried. "It's ok, darling, it's fine." He pursed his lips, but continued nonetheless. "It'll be ok."

"But it won't!" Rhode shook violently. "This whole thing is my fault! If I hadn't made him come here, you wouldn't have gotten hurt like this!" Her eyes met his and a few tears spilled out. "This is my fault."

"He's the one, Rhode." Her eyes widened, and he picked her up to continue, whispering quietly as if to keep it between the two of them even though there was no one else in the room. His voice came out confidently, leaving no room for argument as Tyki confided in his niece. "I think that he might be the one to break this horror story that has become our lives."

"That's a big thing to place on someone, Uncle Tyki." She said seriously, her voice quiet. Despite her words, there was a flash of hope in her eyes and Tyki could see a spark in her eyes that had been lost in the past year. "You shouldn't...I mean, you can't just..." Rhode took a shaky breath, and smiled slowly. "You really think so?" She said so quietly, Tyki barely heard it.

"I do." He replied just as quietly. Rhode squealed, biting her lip and giggling happily. Tyki pressed a kiss to what would have been her forehead, placing her on the floor once again. "Run along now, darling, and send him back in here. I have something I wish to discuss with him."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tyki was annoyed.

It was only the third day and already he wanted to get out of bed and move around. Lavi had threatened to tie him up if he so much as moved, though, and as much as he hated being bedridden, Tyki knew he'd hate being tied up even more.

Lavi insisted on cleaning his wounds and changing his bandages himself, and staying with Tyki to keep him company while the rest of the castle went about their usual day. And though Lavi's idea of keeping someone company was to sit beside them and read in silence (who the hell taught him that _that_ was the best way to, for lack of better words, hang out with someone?), the red head quickly learned that if Tyki was going to suffer being bed ridden, Lavi was not going to be reading anything. So for the past couple of hours, up to this point, they had been talking, somehow managing to simultaneously learn everything and yet nothing about each other.

Tyki learned that Lavi was an only child (something revealed with the faintest hint of a blush and averted eyes), and Tyki actually admitted to being related to Sheryl for what felt like the first time in his life; he couldn't even remember claiming such a thing when he was younger. Lavi learned that Rhode was not related to Tyki in anyway; Tricia had stumbled upon an abandoned baby while she and Sheryl had been out on a walk, and they had taken to her instantly. They doted on her for a while before dropping her off in the castle and leaving her there with Sheryl's brother.

On the other hand, though, Lavi refused to answer anything about his life outside the castle, or anything about Bookman. And Tyki kept the years before and during the Millennium Earl's rule to himself, allowing the red head to believe they had always been this way (he'd even gone so far as to tease Lavi about turning into a book; the red head flushed abruptly and hastily switched topics).

Tyki closed his eyes with a tired sigh, rubbing at his temples. He wasn't surprised when he felt his hand turn human at the contact, as if the creature form that he had been used to was nothing more than an image in his mind. Rhode had gone and told the entire castle of his suspicions, and it set off a chain of events none of them had been able to anticipate.

The human forms of the workers and family had begun appearing around the castle. They were faint, mere outlines and shadows of the normal realm, but they were visible nonetheless. It almost appeared to be as if ghosts inhabited the castle, though Lavi hadn't noticed anything as of yet.

Rhode had squealed happily when she had passed herself in the mirror and realized that her human form was visible; she had gone straight to Tyki's current room, giggling madly and exclaiming any time she came across anyone else in the castle. When she arrived, flushed and excited, Tyki saw the young girl she had been before the fiasco started- - -changed, yes, with longer hair that fell to her mid back, her bangs falling in her eyes, their usual golden eyes instead of her normal violet, and tanned, almost gray skin- - -but the same young girl wearing the same long sleeve shirt and skirt she had worn the day this happened.

Behind her, Lulubell slunk in. Her hair was longer as well, bangs brushing the side of her face while her gold eyes looked him over appraisingly.

"Well." Her cat form 'mew'ed and hissed as her human ghost spoke quietly. "It appears we finally managed to get somewhere, hmm? And it only took you to the brink of death for it to happen. How nice is that?"

"Be nice, Lulu!" Rhode squealed, far too happy for her words to have any bite. "Things are finally looking up!" She bounded over to the bed, the ghost behind her twisting and spinning until she lay sprawled on the bed, gold eye peering up at her uncle. "Your hair is so much longer than you usually have it. You'll have to get it cut soon."

She paused for a moment before erupting into more giggles, the bed visible through her human body.

"Calm down, Rhode." Lulubell said firmly; her cat form jumped gracefully on the bed, Rhode's teacup in her mouth, and curled up in a ball; her human form lounged on the bed casually, fingers drumming a silent beat on her thigh. "We aren't fully human just yet. There is still a ways to go."

Rhode sat up; Tyki could see the door through her body.

"Lavi." She twisted around, glancing at the door, before leaning forward. "He has to fall in love with you, Uncle Tyki. Somehow. In any way."

"That won't be enough to break this." Lulubell stared directly into Tyki's eyes as she said this, her gaze narrowing. "Isn't that right, Tyki?" Rhode made a curious noise in the back of her throat, looking between the two older people in the room. "Didn't Hevlaska herself say 'until the day you find love'?"

The room was quiet for a moment as dawning shone in Rhode's eyes. Her translucent hand reached out slowly and placed itself on Tyki's. It was strange; Tyki watched as her hand came into contact with his own. He remembered the warmth and feel of the smaller fingers working their way into twining with his own fingers.

Her hand on his didn't exist.

"I'll work on Lavi." She promised quietly. "We all will. Even Lulubell." The feline in question nodes her head in agreement once. "But you need to work, too, Uncle Tyki." Rhode's gold eyes pleaded with his. "Fall in love with him, please. For all of us." Rhode sighed. "We can do this, I'm sure of it!"

"We'll make this work." Tyki assured her calmly, wishing he could put his arms around her and press a kiss to her forehead just to feel the warmth and weight to her that didn't exist just yet. "We can do this."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Bookman sat by the window, pipe in hand, eyes narrowed and staring into the distance. Smoke filled the room around him, and though his muscles ached from sitting in the same position since dinner a few hours earlier, the old man made no move to stand and leave the window. His eyes traced the distance with a cool gaze, his only movements slow and steady as he removed the pipe from his mouth to breathe more smoke into the mostly unoccupied room.

Darryl was late.

It had been two, maybe three weeks since the red headed boy had taken his place in that god-forsaken castle, yet it appeared the boy had yet to escape from the monster inside. Bookman sighed heavily, more smoke escaping him, as he thought this over.

Bookman pursed his lips in disapproval and annoyance (and lots of worry) as the thought of Darryl being trapped for the rest of his life in the animated castle with only a spoiled teacup and a huge monster of a creature for company raced through his mind.

There was a knock on the door, the sudden noise startling Bookman for brief moment; for the first time that night, Bookman pushed himself off of the chair by the window, unwilling to admit even to himself he was worried about the boy he'd taken in. Instead, he placed his pipe firmly in his mouth and pulled the door open to find a tall man standing just outside the door. Bookman's eyes narrowed at him.

"What is it you want?" The man- - -more a boy in Bookman's eyes, really- - -was dressed in black, a dark top hat on his head and silver glasses shielding his face. He gave off an aura of harsh and almost raw, hidden away power; Bookman decided instantly that he didn't like him at all.

"Hello, sir." Bookman scowled.

"What is it you want?" He repeated irritably. Bookman hated repeating himself, especially when it was unnecessary, his joints and bones ached (though that was no one's fault but his own), and he was still bothered by that strange feeling-that-was-not-worry over that idiot boy. All in all, he wasn't in the best of moods when he opened the door. The man- - -boy, he reminded himself- - -was slightly thrown off by the sharpness in Bookman's voice (or maybe that it's Bookman before him, because he clearly wasn't expecting an old man to answer the door). For a moment, he seemed unsure of what to say before he opened his mouth and spoke.

"I'm looking for Darryl." Instantly, the old man's eyes flash. He doesn't remember the red head currently known as Lavi mentioning this boy before he left, which meant that sometime while he was gone, he had preyed on the (admittedly naive and clueless) red head. Eyes narrowing, Bookman removed the pipe from his mouth slowly, gaze never leaving the boy before him.

"And you would be...?"

"My name is Adam." The boy bowed, though the hat never left his head. "You must be Bookman, Darryl's mentor. He has spoken of you often. It's my pleasure to finally meet you." Adam's voice was cold and pleasant, with a forced air of politeness and charm. Bookman realized instantly the boy was trying to win him over; on the other side of the door, his aged hand clenched harshly on the doorknob, and he refused to have himself manipulated into a situation with this boy that he would not be able to control.

"What, exactly, do you want with Darryl?" Bookman's tone was acid, he knew, and he made no effort to stop his disdain for Adam seep into his voice. "Why are you calling for him at this hour?"

"I simply wanted to know if he would accompany me on a stroll tomorrow afternoon." Adam said easily, his voice confident and firm. Bookman placed the pipe in his mouth again, inhaling the smoke as he studied the boy before him.

He had never seen him before, which heightened his distrust.

"Darryl, unfortunately, has work to be done." Bookman stated flatly, more willing to admit worry for the red head before admitting to Adam that Darryl was more than likely held prisoner in estrange castle. Not because the boy would think him crazy, but to prevent him from hunting Darryl down and to fix the mess the red head created for himself. "Whatever plans you thought you could share with him are not likely to ever see the light of day with him. You'd best move on and find someone else to waste your attentions on." Bookman could feel Adam's eyes narrow on him, but he held his ground. "If that is all, I'd appreciate it if you would leave. An old man needs his rest, after all."

Adam gave a slight bow, his sharp gaze never leaving Bookman's.

"I understand, sir." Just before he left, he threw one last look over his shoulder. "Would you, perhaps, tell me when a good time to catch Darryl's attention would be?"

"I keep him plenty busy." Bookman assured him shortly. "Whatever you had been trying to start with him while I've been gone, it ends now. He has no time to be wasted on the likes of you."

Bookman felt more than actually saw the glare aimed at him, and he glared back just as coldly until Adam turned and left; the old man watched the younger boy walk down the path to the village until he couldn't see him any longer. Shutting the door with a sigh, Bookman leaned against the heavy wood and rubbed his temples to attempt to ward off what appeared to be an approaching headache.

Darryl better have a damn good excuse when he came back. 


	10. Something There?

Good morning/afternoon/evening, all! XD how are you guys? Welcome to another chapter of this. I feel like forewarning you now: I wrote this part at the same time I wrote the first chapter, more or less (around that time- - -various other chapters will have bits of pre-written stuff as well) but my point in telling you lot is for this reason. At the beginning, I had kinda toyed with using the Disney movie song lyrics in the conversation before completely scrapping the idea as not really being worth it if I wanted my own version of the story. This was the only chapter I had written, and quite frankly I'm too lazy to go back and change the conversations to exclude the lyrics. I changed one part slightly before deciding it was a waste of time to rewrite it, so most of it has been kept as is.

Anyway, I'm sorry for those who reviewed- - -I am thankful you did, your reviews always make me smile and make my day better, so I'm sorry for not responding to you guys. My RL decided to throw a slight bitch-fit because I was ignoring it for this story and now it's like 'RAWR!' XD no anonymous reviews this time (gasp!) so I guess that leaves me with nothing else to say. XD

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 10

Tyki all but threw himself out of the bed, startling Lavi with the intensity of the man's enjoyment to be out of bed (true to his thought, Lavi couldn't see the then-faint human ghosts walking past him in the castle halls; Lulubell had commented that the red head would be unlikely to see them until he sorted out his feelings for himself). The past two days had been borderline torture for the currently-changing master; he'd never before felt freedom so close at hand, to the point of _feeling_ it at the tips of his fingers, only to have the red head who insisted on taking the role as nurse to rip it violently away.

Tyki pulled to a stop in front of the mirror, gold eyes the only thing about him unchanged. His image showed the tall, terrifying creature he'd become; just before him stood himself, the human almost completely visible before him. His hair was longer than he normally allowed, falling in a tangled mess down his shoulders, and though he normally stood differently, his human form appeared to have taken his current standing- - -a slightly defeated posture, eyes darkening to a molten gold.

"What is it, Tyki?" Lavi placed his hand on Tyki's elbow, the highest the red head could reach without feeling awkward; Tyki watched in a strange fascination as his hand touched both arms. While the red head's touch fell around his elbow now, on his human form Lavi had his hand on his shoulder. The abrupt difference in height made Tyki exhale slowly and turn his focus on Lavi again. "Are you still not feeling well?"

"I'm fine, Lavi." The past week had brought the two of them closer than Rhode or even Lulubell could ever attempt to. Though Lavi was still unaware of the curse upon the castle, and Tyki no more aware of the boy's past than he'd been when the red head first snuck in, their conversations over Tyki's bed-ridden week brought them closer than anyone had imagined. And though Lavi couldn't see their true forms just yet, it felt as though it were only a matter of days before they became tangible, then human once again. It gave everyone a kind of high; even Kanda was scowling a bit less than usual, and lacking bite to his normal sarcastic comments.

(Though the fact that he and Allen had, apparently, made up in their twisted sense and were no longer fighting over god-knows-what might have also had something to do with it, but Tyki thought it best to keep silent; while same sex couplings in the castle were rare, the master felt it would be extremely hypocritical of him to berate the dark blue clock for having some form of relationship with the silver candle stick as he himself attempted a relationship with a young boy.)

At any rate, the unexpected excitement that had penetrated the castle was a complete turn around from the depressing resignation that had been the general feeling startled Lavi. The red head couldn't quite understand the sudden change in mood, the new energy whenever he walked by. Things around the castle had been moving faster since Tyki had woken up, and Rhode had taken to squealing any time he saw her launching herself at him as best she could- - -

It was strange, and Lavi had not been able to make anything out of it at all.

Putting it out of his mind for the moment, Lavi smiled up at Tyki, preparing to move Tyki back to his own room. As he grabbed the various things that Rhode brought, there was a sudden jolt from his stomach that had him dropping the things he picked up. Frowning slightly, Lavi turned to ask Tyki about it when a flash of brown hair caught his attention.

Confused, Lavi turned fully to see it, but it was gone; Tyki, having already stepped out of the room, leaned in again.

"Lavi, are you coming?" Lavi shook his head slightly and forced a smile as he walked after Tyki.

"Yea, I'm coming." Just outside the door, Rhode jumped, the teacup's eyes gleaning in excitement. Lavi could have sworn he saw a faint flash of long, vibrant hair before closing his eyes tightly with a sigh.

Maybe he should just relax in the library today.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhode leaned forward, her violet eyes dark and searching.

"Why haven't you left yet?" She asked curiously. Lenalee and Allen moved to quiet her, both with wide eyes and crimson cheeks (the looks of surprise and discomfort were infinitely more visible on their human ghosts, though Rhode was careful to not look at them too often- - -as ecstatic as she was to see the long pigtailed hair of her favorite servant, it was insanely weird to see Lenalee twisting her hands worriedly at the same time she was a teapot, biting her lip in uncertainty), but Rhode merely moved closer to Lavi and peered up at him.

"I- - -uh, that is," Lavi scrambled for an answer for the young girl, his emerald eye moving at a frantic pace from Lenalee to the room to Allen to the window- - -anywhere but the young girl in front of him. "I m-mean, I promised..."

"But you already tried to leave." The girl pointed out innocently. "Your word isn't as good anymore. Uncle Tyki is fine now, so why are you still here?" There was no anger or hatefulness in her words- - -just the burning curiosity of a teenaged girl. Lavi sighed and looked out the window; behind him, he could hear Lenalee scolding the small teacup quietly.

"I'm not quite sure." Lavi said slowly, drawing attention to himself. "I mean, I know I was all ready to leave and never come back. I wanted to. I even planned out everything, from leaving this place to never stepping foot out of the village."

"And then Uncle Tyki saved you." Rhode said proudly, making Lavi's cheeks turn red. The girl didn't seem to notice, giggling to herself when she remembered how frantic her uncle had been to go after the boy when he left. Her human form skipped around in circles around her, her hands twisting together and her hair swinging around her face as she began humming to herself.

"Right." He muttered. Rhode giggled again and rocked forward, prompting Lavi to continue. "And I felt bad that he got hurt for me, so I decided I would stay until his wounds healed." His eye went outdoors again, where Tyki could be seen walking into the castle, a watering can held in his clawed hands, almost completely healed. Almost, but not quite- - -while Lavi smiled slightly at the sight of the huge monster crouching beside the rosebushes, he couldn't help but notice the wince that came from stretching a wound.

"Well?" Rhode said impatiently when Lavi didn't continue. The red head jumped slightly, tearing his eyes away seconds before Tyki looked up and saw him. Rhode eyed him, Lenalee muttering under her breath behind her, though watching just as closely as Rhode was. "Continue, Lavi."

"I just- - -it was- - -" Lavi sighed, leaning against the glass behind him. Rhode glanced behind her at her friends before coming closer. Her hand placed itself on Lavi's arm unthinkingly, an automatic reaction meant to comfort; she had done it so many times before, with her uncle and Lulubell, she hadn't known she'd done it until she realized her hand had sunk halfway through his arm.

"What, Lavi?" She asked softly, frowning in confusion as she slowly lifted her hand from his arm; Rhode's gaze traveled to Lavi's face as he flushed lightly, watching him for a reaction as she moved her hand on top of his again.

"Well..." Lavi glanced out the window again. "There's something in your uncle, Rhode. Something almost..." Lavi took a deep breath. "Almost kind."

"Kind." Rhode repeated, as if she had never heard the word before. Lenalee hissed at her to stop; the servant had placed her own hand on Rhode's shoulder, the warmth from the appendage faint but the force behind it very real as she tried to pull Rhode away. The Kamelot daughter scoffed lightly, the sound more disbelieving that taunting or angry, as she thought of what Lavi said while her mind raced with a reason to explain the red head's inability to feel her. Lavi continued as if she hadn't spoken.

"Something kind." He shook his head, laughing as he rubbed at his eye. "I know- - -he was horrible to me at first. So mean, and cold...and just a little- - -" Lavi cut himself off with an amused shake of his head, a soft smiling flitting across his face briefly. "I'm surprised I lasted as long as I did! Maybe that old panda was right, calling me an idiot that night when I took his place." Rhode exchanged an uneasy look with Lenalee and Allen as Lavi shook slightly. On her shoulder, Lenalee's grip tightened a bit. Allen stepped forward as well, his candle stick staying in his place, hesitatingly placing both his arms around both girls comfortingly; the sound in Lavi's voice unnerved them greatly. "I don't think I was ever cut out for something like Tyki."

"Someone!" Rhode was quick to jump in. "Someone, Lavi." Lavi looked down at her in surprise. Rhode glared at him defiantly before dropping her gaze to the ground with a sigh. Her hand went to the window, pressing firmly against the glass. She could almost feel the coolness of it against her hand; she could almost feel everything, from Lenalee and Allen's touch to the feel of the objects in the room. Why was it that Lavi couldn't feel her, and she could not touch him? "We were all human once, thank you very much. And we will be once again." Her gaze met Lavi's once more. "As such, we are still 'someone' and not 'something'. We aren't objects to be tossed about."

"Sorry." Lavi smiled at the violet teacup and she smiled back.

"It's fine." She answered quietly before hopping into his lap. Lenalee gasped, but Rhode allowed herself to sink down on Lavi, her legs melding with his own and the only thing separating them was the angle that she kept her waist bent, her forehead pressing itself against the cool window. "Keep telling me what changed about Uncle Tyki." Lavi shrugged helplessly, laughing when the teacup pouted. "Tell me, tell me!" She said, her voice beginning to turn into a whine.

"I don't know what changed." They both looked down at Tyki this time, simply watching him. Lenalee and Allen both backed away, leaving Lavi with the self-proclaimed Princess. "He's..." Lavi sighed. "He seems so unsure, it's cute," he flushed darkly at the word, grateful Lenalee and Allen couldn't see, "There's just..."

Rhode looked up at Lavi curiously, twisting around in an awkward way that should hurt but didn't, but his eyes remained glued to Tyki, studying the creature intensely.

"There's something there, something I didn't see before..." Rhode blinked, confusion and concern flickering in her eyes before she leaned closer to the window and peered down at her uncle. Lavi continued under his breath, Lenalee and Allen all but forgotten in his study of Tyki as he recalled the way he had been treated while caring for the castle's master. "I wonder why I didn't see it there before."

"I don't see anything different about my uncle." Rhode said firmly, looking back up at Lavi. He didn't seem to hear her; instead, he gazed down at Tyki with a soft, curious look, a slight smile on his face. Rhode watched him watch her uncle, a look of mixed emotions in her eyes.

She wanted desperately for Lavi to be the one to turn them all human again, because she had lied; Rhode knew better than anyone, even Lulubell, how much her uncle really had changed. She would watch as his eyes lit up whenever he saw Lavi, or as he straightened up whenever the boy entered his presence. Rhode could tell when Tyki's mind wandered to the red head, which happened quite often in the few days after their human forms had become a new part of this equation, more so than she'd like to admit, and whenever it did, she would hope and wish all the harder Lavi would help them more than he'd already been able to. Because for Lavi to end the curse and return them to normal meant something else: it would be the end of Tyki's constant affairs (even as a young child, Rhode had been all too aware of the way her uncle flitted from partner to partner for information), and the end of the loneliness Rhode was sure her uncle hid away from all of them. So while she wasn't particularly sure it was love Tyki was feeling, Rhode knew that whatever it was was far stronger than anything else he had felt before. If it wasn't love, it was fast approaching it for one Tyki Mikk.

But love ran two ways, it had to come from both parties involved, and what frightened Rhode the most was that even now, while they discussed her uncle and the changes in him, she had no idea what the red head thought when he gazed at Tyki. He had attempted to run before, and while things had been fine while Tyki lay on the brink of death, the fact that he was now up and about brought on a whole new set of tensions the castle hadn't been ready for. Rhode knew they were all waiting for Lavi to bolt again; Allen would tense when they passed the front door, his less translucent hands clenching and unclenching worriedly every single time. Lenalee would say what she wanted carefully, eyeing the boy to make sure she didn't accidentally upset him into leaving. Even Kanda was weary of him, his eyes never leaving the red head whenever he was in sight. Rhode, now that Lavi wasn't spending every waking minute with Tyki, was doing her best to put her uncle in a good light for the red head, but she didn't know Lavi as well as she did her uncle. She didn't know if his gaze was appreciative or studying, couldn't tell what ran through his mind when he lost himself in thought.

Rhode Kamelot had no clue how the red head's feelings were developing; the only proof they even existed was the flickering forms of Lenalee rushing around the kitchens, Allen placing books almost ecstatically on the shelves, Devitto and Jasdero swinging around on their perch. The entire situation was completely out of control, something that had never happened before in her life.

It terrified her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Below them, in the gardens, Tyki was still watering the roses diligently when Kanda came by.

"That damn idiot is making things worse here, isn't he? He's giving everyone the hope that he could finally be the one, that he could change things around here." The samurai clock asked bluntly, glaring up at the window to the library and not wasting time to get his point access. The human behind him mocked the clock, both with crossed arms and a fierce scowl Tyki could not honestly say he missed; Tyki chuckled slightly as a response, the noise simultaneously grating and harsh as well as faint, melodious and clear.

"I think it is only worse for you, Kanda, though I'm not quite sure how that's possible- - -you haven't seen Allen's true form in a year." He said, starting off humorously and turning serious as he turned slightly to face the currently taller servant. "Possibly longer; you two were fighting months before Hevlaska paid her visit, and I know for a fact that when Allen is annoyed with you, he vanishes and you don't see him. You were lucky enough to see him after the change, and even then you two were bickering constantly." The clock's ever-present scowl deepened and he looked away with a quiet 'che'. They froze in silence for a moment, Tyki kneeling on the ground with a watering can and Kanda determinedly looking away, a murderous look on his face. After a moment, Tyki leaned forward, clearing his throat and quickly bringing the situation away from Kanda's dark mood."And yes, he does seem to give off an aura of wanting to help us with our situation. However, everyone seems quite taken with the boy."

"Even you?" Kanda asked softly. Tyki froze, watering can in his hand, before placing the object on the floor. Kanda watched him critically for a few moments. "I've noticed that lately, you've been happier. You practically light up when the damn usagi's in the room, and- - -"

"It's nothing." Tyki cut across, interrupting Kanda mid-sentence. "Truly, it isn't." The clock said nothing, merely twitched the knob that held together the hands on his face until Tyki continued. "It's just..." Tyki sighed as he sat on his haunches, staring up at the sky. "He glances this way, at me sometimes. I always think I see something in it, something that wasn't there before he ran away." He tilted his head to smile at Kanda, ignoring the clock's shudder and incredulous snort. "I thought I saw something earlier." Kanda snorted again in disbelief, but a glare from Tyki had him clearing his throat by coughing into his hand.

"Are you telling me that means something?" He snapped angrily. "Pointless looks that more than likely mean nothing have had such an effect on you?" Tyki shrugged lightly, clenching his fists.

"He's touched me with wincing or shuddering." He commented lightly. "Not many can even look at me without flinching or looking away, and yet he has done neither when it comes to me." Tyki turned slightly and looked up at the towering form of Kanda Yu above him. "And you stand before me, do you not, almost human once again?"

"That's not- - -I don't- - -" The clock spluttered for a moment before a snarl came from his throat. "He touched you when you were injured on his behalf." Kanda growled out. "Anyone with half a heart wouldn't worry about what you were so long as you were bandaged properly and it was certain you would live." Tyki opened his mouth, but couldn't come up with anything to say in retaliation to Kanda's statement.

"Yea." He agreed quietly. "You're right. It can't be anything...I'll just ignore it for now." Kanda grunted in agreement. Tyki cracked his neck and leaned back again, looking up at the window to the library, where Lavi spent most, if not all, of his time. "But..." The clock glared at him wearily, and Tyki shot him a smirk. "There may just be something there, Kanda, you have to admit it."

"When Allen admits I may or may not care for him as much as he cares for me is when I'll ever agree to any such statement." Kanda bit out firmly, a bitter tone lacing his words. Tyki looked at him, only slightly surprised; Kanda scowled heavily. "Don't give me such a look. You knew it was long in coming, didn't you?"

"I suspected, yes." Tyki absently began watering again. "The way you treat him is protective, borderline possessive. He doesn't see it that way because he's blinded by his own love for you." Kanda snorted again, though he knew better than to argue with Tyki, and crossed his arms. They continued in silence for a few moments more before Kanda interrupted their silence.

"You really think he's the one?" The clock asked gruffly, cobalt eyes glancing up to the window. Tyki followed his gaze, smiling to himself.

"I do."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi closed his eyes, his head cushioned on his hands. He was sprawled on his bed (he'd only been here a month- - -one really, really long month- - -and he was already more comfortable in this room, on this bed, than he had ever been in any of the other places he stayed at with Bookman; he made a mental note to think over that reaction later, then remembered that that was what he was currently doing.), alone in the room.

He thought of the feeling he got that started everything: the guilt at running when he did, the one that stemmed from sneaking into Tyki's room when he knew better. Truth be told, he'd been surprised when Tyki had saved him. Lavi had expected him to either abandon him out there to die, or at least allow the red head to wander in the woods until he found his way back to Bookman once Tyki woke up again.

But the fact that Tyki had cared enough to come after him, to even worry that Lavi had run out (Rhode had told Lavi the whole freak out that had Tyki pacing the floor moments before racing after him), was what drew Lavi up short and made something funny happen to his stomach. Added to the weird feeling he got while he was trying to save Tyki, and the master of the castle had been worried about him being out in the woods alone- - -

It made him sigh, his eyes opening as confusion crossed his face.

What the heck had been going through Tyki's mind?

And the-the conversations? He had kept Tyki company to make sure his wounds didn't spontaneously start bleeding, so he could help in any way he could to make Tyki more comfortable, and each time Lavi had been pulled into a conversation that almost always ended with his face all but shoved into and hidden by the book of the hour, burning red, while Tyki laughed.

He opened his eyes with a sigh, all but glaring up at the ceiling.

If he was being truthful, Tyki's laugh always made his heart flutter...just a bit, but it happened. Lavi found himself working just that much harder on making the master of the castle laugh or smile (not consciously, he argued in his mind, but still).

(Well, it had clearly been a long time since anyone in this damn castle was happy, right? It was probably best to start at the top and work his way down, that way everyone who worked here was happy, right?

...even in his own mind, that sounded pathetic.)

_Oh, Bookman._ Lavi sighed quietly, closing his eyes again. If only you could see me now. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Lavi snorted quietly. Bookman had always warned him against attaching himself to- - -

Lavi threw himself upright at that, the bed bouncing slightly beneath him as he did.

It was their only real rule. They wouldn't form attachments in any town they stayed at, because they never stayed long enough to really form them. And even though Bookman thought it was stupid and foolish, Lavi kept to that by changing his name every time they left another town behind. Alex, Darryl, Jonathan, Michael- - -he'd had so many names, so many different identities, before, and he'd kept to their own code. Why was it, after nineteen years of traveling, nineteen years of doing as he was told and following Bookman's orders and teachings, he was failing as Lavi? What was it about this place? Not just the castle- - -the town in general. Because he'd been breaking the rule, and he knew, every time he had gone to hang out somewhere with Adam- - -

Adam.

Lavi rubbed at his face and half groaned, half growled at the thought of the other man. Adam was most definitely going to go to the place he had been staying at with Bookman, and Lavi had no doubts in his mind on how that was going to end. He didn't mind so much about Bookman sending Adam away; the thought that made him uneasy was the lecture he knew he would get once he was once again under Bookman's care.

Lavi lay back again slowly, blinking thoughtfully.

Back under Bookman's care. While his traveler's side all but warmed at the thought of the old man, Lavi wondered if he truly wanted what he had with Bookman before. The traveling was great, yes. Seeing new places and wonderful sights that many could only dream about excited him and had him ready to run back to Bookman as soon as he could to start adventuring once again. He had so many fond memories of so many different places, Lavi knew he could fill several books easily with just a few of his memories.

At the same time, the child in him that had shrunk over the years was coming back in a vengeance. He had managed to lock away his loneliness, convincing himself that Bookman was all he really needed for the rest of his life, that traveling was a wonderful experience he wouldn't get with everyone. And while it was true to an extent- - -he saw Rhode fuss over Tyki, and Lavi wanted something like that. He wanted someone resembling family to worry and fawn over him the way Tyki and Rhode did. Lenalee, despite being a year younger, was slowly becoming something like a sister and mother figure rolled in one, and Allen was the best friend he never had growing up. Everyone was making the selfish, childish part grow stronger and stronger; Lavi couldn't contain it any longer, couldn't help but want what he knew he shouldn't want.

It frightened him, making him unsure and feeling weak. He wasn't quite sure what to do any more, and he couldn't help but wonder if he even wanted to get away. There had been quite a few opportunities, but something had always stopped him. It's too soon, there are people everywhere, and all the other feeble excuses his mind could come up with for stating where he was. It was almost like he _couldn't_ leave...

With an impatient, harsh exhale of breath, Lavi burrowed underneath the blanket and covered his head resolutely, determined to not think about anything again. 


	11. The Ghost of You

I'm time-skipping a lot here. XD haha sorry. The next one won't be so...far forward, I guess? Anyway, did anyone else catch the pilot episodes of Once Upon A Time last week (and the second episode last night XD) and Grimm this past Friday? XD haha they were both great, in my opinion- - -I love fairytale stories, and those were both absolutely wonderful. XD oh, and Happy Halloween, everyone! I had really planned to get this up before Halloween, but...ah, well. I was Tyki for Halloween, and my sister was the Millennium Earl in a wildly crazy, totally made-up outfit. Drop a review- - -what were your guys' costumes for Halloween? XD haha back on track: this chapter is the prelude to what is currently my favorite so far.

XD d-gray-geek: it's all good, darling. XD and the events in this chapter may be something more of a start. Maybe. Possibly. XD Never fear, though, Lulubell...actually speaks a lot in this chapter. Huh. Well, anyway, the song- - -I tried. XD haha when I wrote that part, it took me almost forever to word it properly... XD haha.

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 10

Bookman slowly went about his day, Darryl occupying most, if not all, of his mind. The red head should have been back by now; another two weeks had passed without any word from the boy, in any form. The older man wasn't sure what situation Darryl was in now. Was he locked up like Bookman had been, or was he allowed to roam as free as he could be as he was only taking Bookman's spot? Were they feeding him properly, or would he come to Bookman barely alive, ribs, hips, and shoulders jutting out painfully? Was he being treated fairly, or would he return black and blue, bruised with healed and healing cuts, broken bones not set properly and healing incorrectly? Would the boy be able to look back at this time now with a slight grimace and a 'let's think about something else, moving on', or was the situation so traumatizing Darryl would block it out completely and forget he was ever in such a place, remembering it only in the darkest time of night as a horrible nightmare?

Bookman was past worrying, full-on panic taking its place the longer Darryl was gone.

There wasn't anything he could do for him, either. The townspeople didn't trust him, and they all thought the castle hidden in the woods was nothing more than a myth; a fairytale, one told to children to keep them entertained, or send them to bed with. A crazy man's twisted tale of supposed horror and magic repeated to minds too young to understand the true magic behind it. Bookman found no support from the people there, and while he understood their feelings behind it (he never was one for being open and talking to others; it was a miracle he didn't understand that Darryl began following him to begin wit

h), it infuriated him that they wouldn't go to help a young boy with so much ahead of him.

That's not quite right- - -there was one person willing to help Bookman, though it was the same person the old man turned down time and time again.

Adam.

The boy had come around constantly in the weeks Darryl had been gone. Bookman held him off, but he was unsure how much longer he would be able to.

A knock on the door pulled Bookman into the present once more. Scowling, the old man quietly approached the door and opened it slightly, glaring up at Adam.

"Good day, Bookman." The old man said nothing, and after a moment Adam went straight to the point. "Is Darryl available today?"

"I've told you time and time again." Bookman stated crossly. "My apprentice is busy at work. He no longer has time for you and any activity you may have planned with him." There was silence following Bookman's annoyed answer, and neither male moved to either leave or close the door.

A flash of gold was all the warning Bookman had before the door was thrown open and he was, somehow, pressed against the opposite wall, a gloved hand around his throat.

"Look, old man," Adam snarled. His voice came out dark and twisted, almost demonic, a complete turn around from the 'gentleman' he'd been portraying the past couple of weeks. "Thus far, I've played fairly in this little game of ours. Thus far." His grip tightened slightly, and Bookman's hand went up immediately, gripping onto the fingers around his throat while his eyes darted around the room to find a way out. "But this will not continue. I know the boy is missing. iWhere is he/i?" Bookman's lip curled as his free hand scrabbled quietly at his side, his dark eyes attempting to meet Adam's own as his fingers brushed over a closed wood top- - -the needles he'd gained as payment for something he no longer remembered doing.

"You'll get nothing from me." He hissed out as he slowly pulled the top open and reached inside, grabbing a few needles in his hand. Adam snarled and tightened his hold again, pressing Bookman into the wall.

"Tell me," Adam all but growled; Bookman noted distantly that the more annoyed and pissed off he got, the darker and more twisted he sounded. Adam's features shifted slightly with each word, his ears becoming pointed and his teeth enlarging. "Is he there? At the castle? iWhere is he/i?"

Bookman threw his arm across as best as he could instead of answering, the needles in his hand slicing through Adam's face. Adam howled in pain and shock, dropping Bookman and reeling back, his hand coming up to his cheek and coming away dotted with blood. His mouth curling into a snarl, Adam clenched his fist and moved to step forward only to stumble back as Bookman advanced, attempting to injure him further.

Silence reigned until Adam had his back against the doorway, his aura furious and his cheek bleeding freely.

"I will find him." He said quietly, his voice more 'gentlemanly' than before, though there was a cold, hateful tone to it. "And I will find him soon. Mark my words, old man- - -I would move heaven and earth to find that boy." Bookman threw the needles at him, but Adam was already gone; the needles imbedded themselves into wood and in the middle of the room, Bookman collapsed onto his knees, hand rubbing absentmindedly on his temples.

Adam's unsaid "before it's too late." echoed in the room around him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Still trying to get used to the body she hadn't seen in a year, Rhode let out a surprised squeak as she spun in the hallway and tripped over herself, literally falling to avoid crushing the teacup she was. Pushing herself up slowly, Rhode rubbed her head and felt the top of the braid Miranda had weaved her long hair into that morning. The woman was much calmer, though no less clumsy, now that she could move about outside the dark dresser she had been confined in.

Humming something that was a mix between a waltz and something she had invented, Rhode glanced outside the window to see the sun setting, the crimson color making its way across the blue sky and changing it briefly to lavender. Awe-struck, as it had been quite a while since Rhode could see an actual sunset with her own eyes, the girl stopped and stared out the window. The light from the setting sun brightened the hallway magnificently, adding more depth and color to everything it touched, Rhode included.

Her body shimmered slightly, not that she noticed, entranced by the colors dancing across the sky. The violet in one eye drained out slowly, leaving behind a color that wasn't really a color, just an absence of one, surrounding her pupil before gold took over. Her skin darkened slightly, more color returning to her black skirt and white button up shirt.

When the world was dark again, the sun gone completely, Rhode sighed quietly and wrapped her arms around herself, one hand landing on her lower hip as the other draped itself over her shoulder. A small, shy smile graced her face and she moved onward, drawing to a confused stop when she didn't hear the familiar clinking noise that was her teacup following after her on the floor.

Turning with a slight frown, her hands dropping to her sides, Rhode stepped back and knelt before the teacup, picking it up gingerly to her eye level. It remained motionless, and when Rhode looked at it thoroughly, she noticed the absence of a face on the violet cup.

At the same time, she became aware of the firm feeling that came from holding something, every detail of the cup pressing into her palms in a way it never had before, when her human form first came back. She could feel the weight of her braid on her head and draping down her back, the smooth, cool feel of her clothes against her body. Her bare feet were pressed against the stone floor beneath her, and she could feel the coldness seeping into her from the contact.

Dropping the teacup with a slight scream, Rhode turned and flew down the hallway towards the kitchen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lulubell had been curled up in Tyki's lap, her human form lounging not too far away on the bed, when the sun began to set. Tyki was trying to read a book, not noticing anything outside of the words printed on the page before him, so he didn't see when Lulubell's form started to shift and shimmer as if someone had cast a sort of spell on her. He didn't notice when the weight of the cat against him disappeared slowly, or that the hand pressed against the spine of his book changed slowly.

In fact, it wasn't until he came face to face with an annoyed Lulubell, one eye dark and the other golden, that he even noticed anything occurred at all.

"Lulu?" He said softly, confusion taking his features. "You look..."

"Normal?" The dark haired girl finished dryly, her eyebrow raised in mockery. "It's strange. We need to find out what happened. Now." Before Tyki could protest, her hand slipped into his and she pulled him up, surprising him with her strength. He gaped at her, taking in the full form of the older woman before him in shock.

Her dark hair seemed darker, bangs long and framing her pale face instead of short and straight. The elegance she had before becoming a cat was still there in the almost careless way she moved around, her clothes slightly wrinkled but otherwise the same.

"Are you coming or not?" Lulubell snapped, pulling Tyki out of his thoughts. "We need to find everyone else and see what the hell is going on. Let's go, Tyki."

"Right, coming." Tyki watched, almost amused, as Lulubell dragged him down the hall and towards the kitchen, where Rhode was certain to be.

A few minutes later had as much of the family and staff as could possibly come.

(Skinn had refused, preferring instead to keep guard and maintain his role as protector; he sat just behind the frozen gargoyle he usually was, the stone set to glaring out into the woods. Krory did the same, adding in that he couldn't possibly protect anyone if he was inside with them, his fingers tapping nervously at the statue of him leaning against the wall, gaze pensive as it stared out. Jasdero and Devitto, shockingly, had also refused, both boys hanging off an arm of their statue as it hung upside down by its hair, but their refusal was more believable after their reasoning.

They still couldn't move from their perch.)

Tyki sat where the Millennium Earl had for the past decade at everyone's insistence, which shifted the table slightly. Rhode took his old spot to his right, Lulubell staying in her seat to his left, Mimi standing behind her (the sight of the blue-haired girl made Tyki wonder where the hell she'd been almost this entire time). Beside Rhode was Lenalee, her hands twisting nervously in excitement. Beside Lulubell, in Jasdero and Devitto's seats, were Kanda and Allen, both boys muttering insults under their breath that sounded more endearing than insulting. In Skinn's seat was Miranda, who twitched every now and then as she trembled in her seat. Komui sat on the other side of Lenalee, Reever and the rest of the gardeners beside him with room for many more people (why was their table so big when there was only about seven of them?).

Tyki watched them all for a moment as they took in each other's appearances. Mimi looked as if she was deciding between keeping her eyes on Lulubell or looking herself over, as if to ensure everything was in its proper place. Allen was toying with his longer hair, shooting glances at Kanda when the older hesitantly began doing the same. Miranda fiddled with the edge of her sleeve, looking as if she was not quite certain what to do with herself now that she wasn't a dresser any more. Komui had his arms around Lenalee, muttering under his breath about protecting her from...something (knowing Komui it was most likely a boy or something), Reever rolling his eyes behind Komui's head and engaging a quiet conversation with a small boy with enormous glasses hiding his eyes.

Rhode got everyone's attention by standing on the table, stomping on it hard enough to ensure everyone's eyes were on her and her alone and giggling when she felt the cool wood underneath her feet.

"I think Uncle Tyki has something he wants to say." She said sweetly, jumping from the table to the chair and standing a moment longer before sitting down. Obediently, their eyes shifted from Rhode to Tyki, who cleared his throat awkwardly as he stood.

"We need to find out what caused us to change completely, and how long it will affect us." He started. Rhode leaned forward, her fingers intertwined and her chin resting on them. Her dual eyes narrowed slightly, though she looked more confused than anything else.

"I thought one of you confessed." She said bluntly. "And that this was finally over."

"It can't be that." Lulubell said instantly. "I was with him when it happened; the boy was no where near us. And this one," she added with a slight hit to the younger's head and an amused glint in her eyes, "was so engrossed in his damn book he didn't even notice that something of enormous proportions had happened." Lulubell placed her hands flat on the table, leaning forward and supporting some of her weight on her hands. The amusement was gone, something very serious taking its place in her half gold, half dark eyes. "It was something else. Where's the kid?"

"He wanted to sleep early." Miranda stuttered out, squeaking a bit when everyone's eyes moved to her. "I-I had been closing the door to his room when-when it happened." Lulubell nodded once before looking at Allen and Lenalee.

"You two are generally closest to him." She said briskly, making them both jump with wide eyes. "I always see the three of you talking and laughing together when he's not with my brother. Has he said anything recently?" Allen and Lenalee glanced at each other, Lenalee biting her lip.

"Well..." Lenalee murmured. "He...he did say that..." Her eyes darted to Allen's and Rhode's before she took a deep breath and met Lulubell's eyes. "That he was seriously reconsidering his feelings about..." Lenalee cleared her throat a bit and continued. "About staying here. And about all of us. Tyki, especially."

(Lavi had been thinking hard about everything again, and had come to the unwilling conclusion that out of all the people in the castle, Tyki was among his favorite; even more unwillingly adding that spending time with Tyki like he had since the incident-which-won't-be-mentioned-again had quickly become his absolute favorite way of passing the time in the castle. It was severely cutting into his escape plans, and Lavi furiously buried it in the darkest recesses of his mind before forcing himself to sleep.)

"He told you that?" Lulubell asked quietly, her shoulders tense as she broke Lenalee's gaze to glance at Tyki. Her mind worked furiously- - -Rhode had confided in her the girl's suspicions of Tyki falling, and if there was a slight hint of Lavi reciprocating...

Things seemed to be looking up for them.

"Not in so many words." Allen hastened to correct Lenalee. "But he has been spending more and more time with Tyki, and he keeps slipping questions about him when we're talking." There was silence before Allen added quietly. "He's keeping something to himself."

"What?" Rhode asked curiously. Allen shrugged.

"He won't tell us." Lenalee admitted. "But we see him sometimes. He'll glance out the window longingly..."

"Or he'll get pensive and quiet." Allen said.

"He still won't tell any of us about what happened before he came here." Lenalee quietly muttered.

"What happened before isn't important." Lulubell said flippantly. "What's important is what happens now. Tyki." The dual eyed master of the castle turned his pensive gaze from the table to meet Lulubell's. "You need to stay closer to him now. Ensure him falling in love with you." Lulubell moved her gaze from Tyki to Allen and Lenalee. "Make sure that you two help him. Please."

"Yes, Madam Lulubell." They chorused together. Lulubell turned to Rhode.

"Try and make sure they stay together as much as they can, Rhode." The girl nodded, fingers fiddling slightly with the end of her braid, draped over her shoulder.

"Of course, Lulubell." She said quietly. The woman nodded, standing fully.

"All right." She said firmly. "Everyone, back to work. Do as you please, but make sure your work gets done." Lulubell moved, placing her hand gently on Tyki's shoulder, the other reaching out to tug Rhode towards them as well. "Everything will turn out right in the end."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That night, the castle came alive as it never had before.

Anyone passing the window by Jasdero and Devitto could hear the boys moving easily between bickering with each other ("Goddamn it, Dero, shut up shut up shut up! And knock it off!" "Tee hee, but it's so nice to do this again, Devi!") and belting out a song that was completely unfamiliar, moving around their small space and hanging off their frozen statue ("Yurikago ga hitotsu atta...yurikago ni hitotsu atta...hitotsu wa futatsu ni natta..."), their voices combining and harmonizing in an eery manner that was both haunting and compelling.

Allen was placing books away faster than he ever did, Kanda helping out as best he could. Allen was all smiles and laughs, his voice echoing in the quiet library while Kanda silently handed him book after book; he watched as Allen pushed himself down shelves on the moveable ladder, climbing up and down the rungs as he did so. Kanda watched, amused but refusing to show it, until Allen was flying back on the ladder, angling himself so that when he pulled himself to a stop, he was only centimeters away from the taller, dark-haired male for an instant before connecting their lips.

(And then he pushed himself away, laughing and talking again, leaving Kanda to deny the blush alone.)

Komui and his men were in the gardens, shouting and laughing with each other, shouting jokes and singing as they took care of the gardens.

Lenalee worked furiously in the kitchen, ignoring the movements of the others beside her as she worked to create food for the next day, Rhode sitting on the counter beside her and told stories that Lenalee only half heard. Her hands moved quickly and effortlessly over the uncooked food, preparing it as best she could before actually cooking it.

Lulubell was sprawled elegantly across Tyki's bed, to the amusement of the younger, Tyki sitting next to her. One of her hands covered her eyes, the woman sighing deeply and quietly. Tyki played with her hair absently, mind wandering as he did. Lulubell let out another sound that was a cross between a sigh and a purr.

"I'm quite surprised that Sheryl and Tricia have stayed away for so long." She murmured absently, breaking the silence in the room. "Where has that fool gone this time?"

"I'm not sure." Tyki admitted softly. "I haven't the time or the patience to keep up with him." There was quiet before Tyki sighed. "But you're right- - -it's unlike him to stay away so long. What has he been up to? Why has he left Rhode here alone?"

Lulubell opened her mouth to answer, but froze when Tyki's hand began to lengthen and turn into claws again. She bolted up just as he reached down again, resulting in her forehead ghosting through his hand.

"It's wearing off!" Lulubell pushed herself off the bed, rushing for the door. "The others!" She gasped. "We must warn them!" As she rushed for the door, a black cat curled up in Tyki's lap briefly before it darted out after the ghostly image of Lulubell. Tyki sat, frozen, staring in shock and slight horror at his clawed hand, before groaning in annoyance and falling back onto the bed, covering his eyes gingerly.

A second later, he jolted up as a loud crash echoed in the hallway. Before anything else could happen, Tyki was up and bolting down the hallway to the kitchens, noting vacantly that the sun was coming up.

So their human forms were only real at night.

Upon entering the kitchen, Tyki drew to a stop when he saw Lenalee crouched by her teapot, biting her lip and looking a mixture of worried and vaguely terrified.

"What happened?" He asked. Rhode was still on the counter, her teacup staring down at the floor as well. Lulubell stood beside her, hand on her shoulder, her black cat crouched around the spice jars and staring down as the scene unfolded below her.

"I-I was just trying to get the knife..." Lenalee muttered distractedly, the teapot groaning in pain every now and then. "And I just...I couldn't grab it. I couldn't even touch it. So I tried to reach over more..."

"She fell from the counter." Rhode stated tonelessly. She had pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around them and pressing them to her chest, mindful of her skirt, her cheek pressed into her knee. Her face was forlorn, worried, and disappointment filled her still dual-colored eyes. "We thought she broke, and since we aren't sure what happens when that happens, we were afraid that she would vanish and..."

"I'm fine." Lenalee groaned slightly, fixing herself so that her teapot was standing normally; it shook itself and smiled at Tyki, a crack running down her face. "At least breakfast is ready, and the food for the rest of the day just needs to be cooked for later."

Lulubell jumped down from the shelf, purring as she rubbed herself worryingly around the teapot; at the same time, Lulubell crouched beside Lenalee, looking as if she were debating hugging the girl. In the end, she compromised by placing her hand comfortingly on Lenalee's shoulder.

"Come along." She said after a moment, pulling both girls to stand. "Lavi will have to be woken soon, which means you two need to pull yourselves together." Her gaze met Allen and Kanda's, both of whom had just rushed in to see what was happening. "We mustn't tell Lavi anything." Lulubell looked at all of them. "Understand? Not a word."

"Why not?" Rhode asked confusedly.

"Because," Lulubell said in exasperation, "if he tells Tyki he loves him when he's not ready, it could make things worse." She swallowed heavily. "And it wouldn't be healthy to force himself to love Tyki when he doesn't."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Things had been...interesting that morning, to say the least.

Lavi wasn't quite sure what had happened during the night. When he'd woken up (no help from Rhode at all by this point- - -a little over two months had somehow turned seven am into a decent hour to wake up), it had been to a deathly silent room. Even though he didn't need Rhode to wake him up any longer, she still came to keep him company as he woke up. He got out of bed nervously, wondering if everyone had just disappeared in the night.

Lavi was stunned when he found an outfit laid out at the bottom of the bed, pressed down with the utmost care and precision. Feeling a bit like he had stepped into a different reality of some sort, Lavi gingerly reached out to take the clothes when a shuddering gasp caught his attention. Glancing only once at the clothes, Lavi moved towards the closet and pulled the doors open, revealing a very distraught Miranda.

"Oh!" She shrieked, jumping but thankfully not falling over. "Master Lavi, what a surprise!" Lavi raised an eyebrow when she let out a loud, nervous chuckle, opening and closing her drawers in nervousness. Out of the corner of his eye, faint and barely there, Lavi swore he could see a woman in a long black dress, brown hair tied in a bun, with black rimmed eyes and teeth gnawing at her bottom lip; but when he turned slightly to see her better, she was gone. "A-Anyway, didn't you-didn't you like the clothes I set out?"

"Wha- - -no, I did!" Lavi hastily assures her (because if he doesn't, she looks like she'll burst into tears, and he hates it when she starts crying). "I was just...surprised, is all." Miranda smiled warmly at him as he moved toward his bed to get dressed; it isn't until he's almost fully dressed that she speaks again.

"Thank you, Lavi." There's so much sincerity (and so little nervousness) in her voice that Lavi paused for a moment, his shirt still half on. Pulling it down over his head, Lavi turned to face the dresser fully, a confused look on his face.

"For what?" He asks suspiciously.

"For..." Miranda trails off, looking as though she'd very much like to continue speaking, but can't. Her mouth works furiously for a moment, trying hard to get her words out, but when nothing comes out she's forced to give up with a sound mixed between a cry and a sigh. With a small smile, Miranda shrugs as best as she can and says "For just being here, I suppose."

And it didn't end there.

Allen was overly cheerful as he walked with Lavi down to the dining hall. There was a bright smile on his face, and his silver eyes held a gleam Lavi had never seen. Kanda was the same, more or less (he still grumbled a lot, and he still yelled at Lavi for calling him 'Yu-chan'), but for the first time since Lavi began his stay there, the clock didn't scold him for being late. Everyone had a exhilarated yet exhausted aura around them; Rhode couldn't seem to muster energy to do anything but smile tiredly at Lavi from where she was placed by Tyki before her eyes closed for a long time. Lenalee brushed aside any concerns about the crack on her face as she ordered food to be placed around the table.

There was an aura surrounding the castle that was so different from the one that had been there the day before. Lavi could feel a sense of mixed joy and relief that seemed to radiate from the very walls themselves; something that over powered any of the tiredness they were all clearly feeling. They seemed more open, brighter and more full of life than they had even yesterday, but at the same time it felt oddly like something was weighing them down. Like they were so close to something, close enough to touch it, taste it, feel it...and yet at the same time, it was a million miles out of their reach.

And with each household object that represented his friends, Lavi could see out of the corner of his eye the people that he assumed used to work here. He would catch a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of shoulder-length silver hair while talking with Allen, or see a faint, tall figure with a fierce glare passing by Kanda. There was a young girl with long vibrant hair humming tiredly next to Rhode. There was a tall, young brunette woman in his closet with Miranda that morning, and even now, he could see a tired, pleased looking girl moving about, disappearing, brushing long bangs out of her face every now and then as Lenalee served food.

It wasn't until Lulubell appeared, her tail curling lazily and her mouth open in a silent 'mew', that Lavi said anything. The dark haired woman that had vanished as he turned to face her seemed to be the final straw, and Lavi slammed his hands down on the table as he stood up, standing fully to face them all, unknowingly mimicking Lulubell's earlier actions.

"What on earth is going on here?" Everyone at the table jumped, not noticing the red head stand up until his hands connected with the wood. "What is happening to you guys?"

"Shut up!" Rhode hissed quietly as Lulubell 'mew'led frantically. She coughed uncomfortably, the teacup turning to face Lavi with tired eyes that were half violet, half gold. "Whatsa matter, Lavi?"

The red head looked at Rhode and Lulubell, before running his hand over his face and sitting back with a heavy sigh.

"Nothing." He muttered distractedly, rubbing his temples slowly now. The images of people in the corner of his eye had vanished, leaving behind nothing but the familiar images and faces he was used to. "Don't worry about it to much, Rhode."

There was a new light in her eye that Lavi ignored; her mouth worked furiously to ask something, curiosity burning in her gaze, but she seemed to have the same problem as Miranda. She couldn't voice what she wanted, and settled with a mysterious smile and a squeal that sounded vaguely like 'whatever you say, Lavi!'.

With a slight sigh and an amused smile, Lavi rolled his eyes and turned to Tyki, listening to the master of the castle talk and mindlessly agreeing with whatever plans he came up with them for the day; at the same time, he ignored the pale image in the corner of his eye of a tall man dressed in a black suit with white gloves and a white button up, a top hat hiding most if not all of his features. He ignored the way the ghost in the corner of his eye moved and it's lips spoke without sound, fingertips touching the black brim of the hat every now and then.

It was so much easier to pretend it didn't exist.


	12. Dreaming of You

So, after a lot of hard work and whatnot (I had to make this chapter longer somehow, and I found a way to include another vital Disney trait! Yay! XD), I present to you my current favorite chapter of A Bullet With Butterfly Wings. I'm sorry for not updating faster- - -my theory is that I'm tired of having to do the encoder thing on my phone so that the chapter will show up properly on ffn . net, but I'm never really on the computer at the same time….it's a sad, sad process here….ANYWAY! No more pity party for me; onto the story. XD haha I think Rhode will always be my favorite girl in D. Gray-Man, even with all her absolute nuttiness. XD

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 12

Lavi blinked blearily, his gaze still sleep-filled as he was slowly but surely brought back into consciousness. He felt as though he only fell asleep moments ago, but despite being tired, something was preventing him from falling back to sleep at the moment. Shifting slightly in the bed, Lavi yawned hugely before allowing his eyes to slip shut.

A hand hesitantly carded through his hair, and Lavi's eyes snapped open. His breath almost caught before he reminded himself he was supposed to be asleep; his body, which had stiffened minutely, relaxed once again and his breathing stayed even and slow. As a result, the hand moved through his hair again, and Lavi tried to figure out which member of the castle was in his room.

The hand was warm, Lavi noted absently, and felt slightly bigger than his own. The touch in his hair was familiar and gentle, as if whomever it was was trying not to wake him. It felt human, and- - -

Lavi just barely kept himself from throwing himself up, his entire body stiffening in horror, not noticing that the unfamiliar human hand still buried in his hair froze.

The hand touching him this way shouldn't be human. He was the only human being in the castle; Krory, despite his human appearance, had hands made of stone, there was no way it could be him- - -the hand in his hair was warm and soft. But even Tyki's hands, similar in human shape and warmth, were too long and clawed to be mistaken for human, even while half-asleep.

With that, he grabbed the wrist and twisted himself around, bringing him face to face with olive skin, shoulder length brown hair, and startled brown eyes.

"Who are you?" He hissed furiously. The wide eyes took on a panicked look, and the unfamiliar man tried to pull away, cursing under his breath when Lavi's grip on his arm tightened. "Answer me, damn you! Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?" The door to his room creaked open slowly, and Lavi whirled around, hoping for once that it was Tyki on the other side of the door.

"No!" The man whispered fiercely at the door, his voice as unfamiliar as his appearance. "Stay back!"

"Is that you, Tyki?" Lavi called over him. "Lenalee? Allen? Someone! Get Tyki!" Whomever was behind the door let out a startled squeak, and the door shut. Lavi scowled lightly, hoping whoever it was had the common sense to find Tyki and get him in Lavi's room before the intruder got away.

"Let go!" The man hissed at Lavi, tugging his wrist. It almost slipped out of Lavi's lax grip, but the boy stopped it, turning a furious glare at the other.

"Not until you answer me!" He retaliated. The other man drew in a startled breath, and Lavi remembered for the first time that he had decided to take off his eyepatch tonight, so his eye was uncovered, exposed to the stranger before him. With a strangled gasp, Lavi released his wrist and moved to dive for his eye patch; before he had even turned fully, the man had hold of Lavi's forearms, forcing the boy to face him again.

"Wait, let me see." Lavi struggled to get out, but the man held him tighter and leaned forward to inspect the uncovered eye before him. "Stop that, don't move so much."

"No!" Lavi shut his eyes and turned his head away, making sure his usually covered eye was angled away. "Don't look- - -it's a horrible sight! Stop it! Tyki!" The man winced when Lavi yelled, and he tried to quiet the boy by releasing his hand to touch his face. Lavi retaliated by throwing a wild punch as soon as he was able. The man caught his wild punch and Lavi glared at him. "Tyki!" He yelled again, louder this time, furious for the first time that the master of the castle's bedroom was so far from his own.

The pale man tugged him forward harshly, connecting his lips to Lavi's in an effort to silence him. Lavi froze in surprise, his eyes wide.

It was a soft kiss; despite the pull behind it, it was gentle and chaste, a mere pressing of lips upon lips. Still, Lavi felt his face redden and as the man pulled back, Lavi couldn't help but growl at him, face burning from the forced and unexpected contact.

"What are you doing?" Lavi hissed, no longer yelling out of sheer shock.

This person, who had somehow broken into the castle, had been touching him in some sort of intimate manner while the red head had been asleep. And to add to the surreal feeling, he had kissed Lavi trying to keep him silent (Lavi steadfastly refused to acknowledge it as his first kiss, which in turn denied his new, current "non-existent" longing to have someone else- - -not Tyki, like Rhode and Lenalee had been hinting at the past couple of days, just someone else, someone special- - -take it). He glared at the other with a heated, furious expression, his hands tightening in the blankets around him.

The other man didn't seem to notice, chuckling lightly and placing his hands on Lavi's shoulders. Pushing him down gently until Lavi's head hit the pillow, the man continued to (essentially) tuck him in, completely ignoring the red head's protests.

"Sleep now, Lavi." He said softly. "I shall see you soon, I promise. Sunrise is soon, however, and I can't be here when that happens." Lavi snarled something wordless at him, struggling to get up. The man ran his hand through Lavi's hair one more time, then leaned down and kissed the boy's forehead gently. Lavi froze, realizing that the feeling of this man's hand in his hair and his lips on his forehead were disturbingly familiar. "Good night, Lavi."

Before Lavi could blink, the man was gone, the door to Lavi's room closing with a slightly audible 'click' as it slid into place.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhode leaned against the wall, Lero in her arms, a smug smile on her face. Tyki blinked at her before holding his arm out to her in a slightly mocking manner. She took it and together, they walked down the hallway. When she was sure that Lavi would no longer hear them, Rhode spoke.

"I didn't realize that you and Lavi were so close to breaking our spell." She commented dryly, shifting Lero in her arms so that she could push back the lock of hair falling in her face. "I mean, I could tell you kissed him, but I hadn't expected it to work as well as it did to silence him. You must have either startled him badly, or he didn't want you to stop, Uncle Tyki."

"Oh, hush, he wasn't even aware it was me with him." Tyki said breezily. "We aren't as close as you think, darling." Rhode snorted and muttered what sounded like 'right...' under her breath, which Tyki dutifully ignored and spoke over. "In fact, I believe that the bridge we have officially crossed is something closer to friendship."

"Friendship," Rhode said seriously, "does not mean one goes sneaking into the other's room in the dead of night and watch them sleep." Tyki flushed, the red obvious on his olive colored skin, but Rhode ignored it and continued speaking. "You, uncle, have left the so-called 'friendship bridge' so far back in the dust it is virtually invisible. You are pretending for Lavi's sake, but I know you have a deep emotion buried in you that is saved for that boy."

"Rhode, darling, where are you getting your ideas?" Tyki asked, his face darker at the younger girl's words. "Honestly, my dear. The boy is not yet twenty!" Rhode gave him a skeptical look, raised eyebrow and all.

"There are..." She paused to count on her fingers, doing the math as quickly as possible. "About four years or so between myself and Lenalee. I'm not yet fifteen, and yet Lenalee is eighteen. Are you saying that is wrong, Uncle Tyki?"

"Well, no," Tyki admitted after a while, his mind coming up with a way to deflect the situation. "But that's different, Rhode, you- - -"

"It's not so different." Rhode dismissed her uncle's argument with a wave of her hand. "Lenalee is a servant, yes. Lavi is a mere peasant boy meant to be your captive. They have the same social status, more or less, but that clearly isn't a problem." She placed her finger to her chin, arm still linked with Tyki's as she thought. "There is a four year age gap between myself and Lenalee, and there is only a three year gap between you and Lavi."

They stopped at the door of the kitchens, where they could hear Lenalee bustling about trying to make breakfast before the sun rose.

"I shall see you again later, darling." Tyki said softly, placing a kiss on Rhode's forehead, not at all eager to be away from the girl despite the topic of their conversation. The girl smiled contentedly, leaning up on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to her uncle's cheek. "Next time we speak like this, Lero should not be so silent- - -it's odd, seeing the bear and not hearing his voice at all." Rhode giggled but nodded, hugging the bear tightly to herself. "And remind Lenalee that the sun will rise in half an hour, so that she doesn't forget and injure herself again."

"I know, uncle." Waving, Rhode skipped into the kitchen. Tyki moved towards his bedroom, feeling the coolness of the predawn seeping into his body.

He hadn't been aware he had ended up staying the night in the boy's room. The fact that he did startled Tyki a bit, and in the back of his mind, he heard Rhode.

i...you have a deep emotion buried in you for that is saved for that boy.../i

Utterly ridiculous. Tyki shook his head. It was completely preposterous! Lavi didn't even like him all that much, for one thing, and he was still a boy! Not a child, not a teen, but still young. Still innocent-minded (he hoped), still naive, with big dreams about the world and its wonders. No matter how he thought of it, Rhode was wrong- - -Lenalee, while just a bit older than his niece and at more or less the same status as Lavi, had made a choice to work and stay in the castle. What choice had he given Lavi, other than stay or your mentor does?

It was a completely different situation, and as Tyki reached his bedroom, he refused to think upon it any longer.

He landed on his bed, falling asleep almost instantly. For a few moments, he slept as a human, his hair falling into his eyes and his face relaxed, making him look younger though no less vulnerable. He lay with his legs slightly curled towards his body, too out of it to even get under the blanket on his bed.

Then the sun rose, slowly, and as it did he changed. His hair grew longer, the vine-like appendages formed on his back once more, and the armor that had begun to feel so familiar to him crept around him as he slept on, his human form fading in the brightening sunlight.

Within moments, the beast had returned to normal.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You need to up your security." Lavi announced firmly. Tyki blinked at him over the breakfast table, feeling a smile creep onto his face.

"Come again?" He asked instead, looking down and pretending to be focused on the food before him. Lavi scowled at him, standing from his spot across the table and coming over to Tyki.

"You need to up your security!" He all but yelled at Tyki. Tyki looked at him fully, amusement visible on his features. It only served to tick Lavi off even more, as he crossed his arms and glared at the window.

"We already have three or so guards, and each one on every entrance." Tyki said thoughtfully. "Jasdevi on one end, Skinn at the main, and Krory guarding the only other entrance to the castle. They're excellent guards, so why the sudden need for more security, Lavi?" The red head flushed, still glaring out the window and muttering about strangers and kisses. Tyki raised an eyebrow, though he knew Lavi wouldn't see it and knew whom it was Lavi was muttering about. "You really mustn't mumble, Lavi, it makes it so hard to understand you."

Lavi turned a darker red.

"I said," He hissed through clenched teeth, determinedly not looking at Tyki, "that last night, some-some guy was in my room! This strange guy, who kissed me!" Tyki struggled to hide his amusement, knowing that even if the boy didn't realize it, he was talking about Tyki. "I get the feeling he's been sneaking into my room every night- - -do you know how disturbing that is?" Lavi finished with a slight pant.

"I was unaware of anyone coming into the castle." Tyki shook his head. "I shall speak with all guardians, and see if any of them had let anyone in without alerting me first. It's very unlikely, though, Lavi. Are you sure it isn't just your imagination?"

"So you mean this guy's been in the castle since it happened?" Lavi's eyes widened as he gaped at Tyki, purposefully ignoring the question that left Tyki's mouth. "How was he not changed then?"

"That's not quite..." Tyki glanced down at his niece, who imitated him and raised an eyebrow before hopping away, declaring that she was needed in the kitchens. "Strange things have been happening as of late, Lavi." The red head snorted, something similar to a dark shadow passing over his face; it passed before Tyki could fully see it, making the older wonder if he had just imagined it.

"Strange things are always happening here." Lavi refused to move his gaze from the window. "Enchanted objects, accusing old men of thievery and keeping people hostage." The red head muttered something unintelligible under his breath, but saved himself from being questioned as he snapped slightly, "Why should this be any different?"

"True." Tyki stood, hesitated slightly, and beckoned for Lavi to follow. "Come with me for a moment, Lavi? I have something I would like to show you." Lavi glanced at him briefly, looking away when his face began to flush; he took Tyki's outstretched hand as hesitantly as Tyki spoke.

"What is it?" He asked curiously as they headed in a direction he'd never been in before. Tyki didn't answer, instead leading him up a few stair cases and through a few doors.

"Portraits of the family used to hang in the halls, before the Millennium Earl had them moved here." Tyki explained, his tone careful; they came to a stop in front of the only door, one that was old and worn yet firmly standing. He stared at it quietly for a moment- - -aside from Lulubell and Sheryl, he was the only one who knew what lay behind this door, though Lulubell had stopped coming up with him years ago and Sheryl never came up at all. Tyki hoped that Lavi understood the slight implications of what he was about to show him; the quiet trust he was about to place in the red head's open palms. "There used a portrait for each member, and a few family ones, but the only ones that really remain are the ones of the children." He released Lavi's hand long enough to push the door open. It creaked as it did so, giving way to a room that was surprisingly clean. "I was the only one who remembered it was here, after everything happened, and I often used this room as my escape. I still use it, even now, for the times I would like to get away from everyone. It's been kept clean to the best of my abilities."

(He shouldn't be showing this to Lavi, he knew that, but he couldn't help but want the younger boy to learn more about him, even if it was about a version of himself he no longer was. It had nothing- - -or maybe it had everything- - -to do with the curse. The rose had bloomed just the day before, and the Tease had grown to the size of his outstretched palm. Deep inside, Tyki knew they were running out of time; he was unconsciously hoping that seeing the human portraits of the people in the castle, even if it was only three of them and only two he saw daily, would bring Lavi closer to him.)

Lavi stepped in slowly, taking in the sight of the few framed paintings on the walls.

One was a young girl sitting stiffly on a chair, a doll in her hand. Her dark hair was pulled in tight braids that framed her face and head, wrapping neatly into a braided bun that left strands of hair falling gracefully out of the bunched ball of hair. Her dark eyes stared dully out from the painting; the doll in her hand seemed to be nothing special to her. It was dressed up identically to herself, both wearing a deep blue dress with what appeared to be a ton of lace and frills, but the doll looked to be in danger of falling off the chair and she paid it no mind at all.

The next was of a young boy. He looked vaguely familiar, his hair wavy and short, slicked back to look neat. He had brown eyes and a semi-serious face, though he appeared to be trying to stifle a smile. His clothes were new and crisp, a white button up shirt with a dark jacket over it, one hand behind his back and the other tugging at the topmost button on his shirt. Despite his seemingly laid-back stance, his posture was tall and rigid, standing firmly and as straight as he could.

"Sheryl, I believe, was trying to- - -" Tyki felt himself stop when Lavi reached out and touched a painting softly.

It was a small, younger boy with wide brown eyes and a solemn expression on his face. His hair was wild and wavy, falling in disarray in his eyes. He was wearing a black shirt, his thumb in his mouth. Lavi felt himself drawn to the painting, his fingertips pressing lightly against the canvas. Tyki watched him with bated breath, his lower lip in his mouth.

"Who are they?" Lavi asked quietly. "The kids. Who were they?"

"The girl is Lulubell, the oldest." Tyki softly. "And then Sheryl, my brother. And me." Lavi turned to look at him, incredulous, and Tyki gave him a small, warm smile. "It was before Lord Millenniumn came." He said easily. "Mother was fond of portraits, and there used to be so many in the castle. It was like we lived in each hallway, looking out from the walls."

"You said there were others." Lavi said quietly, his eyes finally roaming and realizing all the paintings in the room were of Lulubell, this Sheryl, and Tyki. "For other family members. Where are they?" Tyki was silent for a long moment; so long that Lavi glanced at him nervously out of the corner of his eye and opened his mouth to say "It's fine if- - -"

"Disobedience to Lord Millennium meant that you were completely wiped away." Tyki said softly. "And at the beginning, there were so many adults against him that he almost had trouble taking them all out. But, as always, he succeeded, and by the time I was eleven he had all but slaughtered the entire castle. I do believe the only ones left were myself, Lulubell, and Sheryl. For the longest time, it was only us." Lavi seemed hesitant before he wrapped his arms softly around Tyki's waist, resting his head lightly against his shoulder. Tyki blinked, placing his hand on Lavi's before continuing. "Lord Millennium introduced Sheryl to Tricia and they married; Skinn, Jasdero, and Devitto found their way here through the years. Rhode was abandoned on the side of the hotel, and Sheryl convinced Tricia to take her in and leave her here for safety. One by one, for their own reasons, the rest of the castle trickled in. For ten years, everything was bearable. Not great, not fine or ok, but bearable."

"What changed?" Tyki wondered if he would be able to answer honestly; he wanted Lavi to know more about him, and it seemed the red head genuinely wanted to learn everything. Honesty was the best policy in a relationship, and though it took him a short moment, Tyki answered the way he wanted to.

"We were visited by Hevlaska herself." He said quietly, leaving out all the 'work' they had done on the Millennium Earl's orders, as if mentioning the goddess would explain everything. "And everything changed." Lavi watched as Tyki reached out gingerly and carefully placed a clawed hand on the portrait of Lulubell; he watched as Tyki traced a careful hand over her braided hair, her cheek and dark eyes. Lavi opened his mouth to ask something, but an echoed thud made Tyki stop for a moment before flying out of the small room, seeming to forget Lavi was there.

Confused, Lavi made to follow him when something caught his eye.

It was small, covered in layers of dust, but still shining brightly despite the near lack of light in the room. Curiosity peaked, Lavi stepped towards it and picked it up carefully. It was round, an intricate gold design lacing gracefully around the silver of what Lavi realized was a mirror. He turned it over curiously, fingers tracing patterns in the dust covering it as he looked it over. Turning it a little so that his reflection faced him, Lavi brushed his fingers through the dust to clear it a little.

"I want to see Bookman." Lavi muttered, a joking smile taking over his face as he closed his eyes and laughed. Shaking his head slightly, Lavi moved to place it down again but froze before the mirror could touch anything.

Reflected in the glass was Bookman, half-written parchment in front of him, staring out the window in the direction of the forest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sounds Lavi was making right now was slightly heartbreaking to the older male. Tyki sat by Lavi's bedside yet again, watching as the boy thrashed around in his sleep, whimpering under his breath. A few minutes prior, he had tried grabbing onto Lavi for comfort, and the boy had whacked him in the arm hard enough to leave a bruise. Despite the clear signs of the boy having a nightmare, Tyki decided to wait until he woke up on his own before touching him again.

He didn't wait long- - -Lavi twisted almost violently, gasping and whimpering a bit louder, before completely freezing up all together. Knowing the red head was moments from returning to the waking world, he leaned back slightly in the chair, as if he'd been there the whole night (he had been, really- - -it was a habit of his to spend the entire night in Lavi's room, apparently). Tyki barely managed a smirk as the boy below him gasped suddenly, sitting upright with wild eyes and messy hair.

"Are all your dreams like this?" He asked vaguely, peering at the boy with lidded brown eyes and hiding the fact that he was worried with his question. The red head have him a disgruntled look, and Tyki leaned back, palms facing him, with a semi-neutral expression. "I'm curious." Lavi flushed about seven different shades of red.

"Only my nightmares." He snapped. "Why are you here...again?"

Tyki shrugged, a smirk covering his face. It seemed Lavi still didn't realize that he was the owner of the castle, even with the portraits he had shown the red head the day before; granted, those portraits were just a bit outdated, but still...it made him smile, the grin widening when Lavi scowled at him despite having a blush cover his face.

"You're a pervert." He said firmly, adjusting his position so that he was leaning against the pillows and facing the brunette in his room at the same time. "You keep sneaking in here and watching me sleep. That's really creepy. How do you even get past Skinn or Krory? Or Jasdevi, for that matter?" Tyki placed his elbow on the mattress by Lavi's leg, his cheek in his hand, and smiled.

"I have my ways." He said breezily, winking when Lavi scrunched up his nose and looked away.

"Why don't you go bother Tyki?" He asked irritably. "Prove to him he needs to make his security better. Clearly, those heaps of stone just don't cut it anymore."

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with the security around this castle." Tyki said firmly, ignoring Lavi's muttered 'obviously, there is' and sitting up firmly. "Don't insult them if you don't know what's going on around you." Lavi narrowed his eyes at that, his gaze suddenly turning suspicious.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked carefully, really looking the intruder. Tyki shrugged, pulling a pocket watch out of his pocket and checking the time before sighing slightly. The suspicious look in Lavi's eyes died down slightly but didn't leave, his voice softer when he spoke next. "What's wrong?"

"Do you have any advice for one infatuated with another?" Tyki watched as the boy froze in surprise, and kept talking. Clearly, his element was surprise, and he truly wanted Lavi's advice on how to court himself a bit better. "I'm afraid that I'm rather lost right now."

"Lost?"

"Indeed." Tyki placed his elbow on the bed, far enough from Lavi that the boy didn't feel threatened, and placed his head on his open palm once again. "You see, I've found myself very much infatuated with a young man I've been with- - -" Lavi felt something resembling envy rear up in his stomach; the feeling was strange and largely unwelcome, and he tried to force it down long enough to listen to this strange man speak, "And I'm rather lost on how to at least garner his affections."

"Have you tried actually talking to him about it?" Lavi asked dryly, looking over the strange person in his room. Now that he wasn't panicking so much, the red head realized the other was actually really good looking. His hair was long and wavy, pulled back in a low ponytail (and he had mentioned before that he really didn't appreciate long hair on men, but this guy seemed to pull it off fine), a few stray stands framing his face and eyes while the rest of it all but cascaded (for lack of a better word) down his back. His eyes were dark in the night, the lack of light hiding their true color, and Lavi felt his heart simultaneously race and drop to the bottom of his stomach as they focused entirely on him.

"Believe me when I say it isn't the easiest topic to bring up, my friend." He said seriously. "Place yourself in my position, if only for a moment. I'm not quite sure how I would bring about such a topic. What would you do?" Lavi considered this for a long moment before sighing heavily and shrugging just a bit.

"I'd say..." Lavi trailed off slightly, his eyes turning to gaze out the window. "I'd say admit your feelings for him, but give him the freedom," he ignored the way his voice and breath hitched at the word, wanting nothing more than to leave and get out of the castle for good, "to decide whether or not he wants a relationship like that."

Tyki watched the boy carefully, his eyes narrowed as he thought.

"Why do you wear the eye patch, my friend?" He asked softly. Lavi stiffened, his fingers going instantly towards the black cloth still tied firmly around his face. After finding that someone had been sneaking into his room at night, he'd kept it on even while sleeping.

It was uncomfortable as hell, but Lavi endured.

"My eye is odd." The red head said quietly. "You saw it. It's horribly scarred and- - -"

"But why wear it?" Lavi glanced over at the strange man, running the words in his head before he allowed them to pass through his lips. "I saw it, indeed. The mark traced around your eye, almost like a spell or a bind. My question to you is, why hide it from the rest of the world?"

He wasn't even sure why he was telling the other man any of this.

"It keeps simple people from looking at me with pity." The red head said quietly. "They don't see it as what it probably is- - -a strange curse of some sort," the other man snorted, but Lavi ignored him, "they see it as a deformity. They take one look at it and think, 'oh, that poor boy'. And then the looks come, and they treat you different..." Lavi sighed and clenched his fists in his lap. He'd never told anyone aside from Bookman, and it was strange to be venting the way he was. "I just wanted to feel normal."

Tyki nodded, his fingertips pressing into his lip. Allen had confided the very same feeling not too long ago: the pity because of his arm made Allen shy away from the world and hide under clothes too big for the frail boy to wear. Checking the time absently and realizing the sun was due to come up soon, Tyki gently lay Lavi back down and tucked him in, his mind racing with ideas.

"Before you mysteriously disappear into the night," Lavi murmured quietly, making Tyki stop, "I found a mirror the other day that allows me to see Bookman. Have you ever heard of such a strange thing?" Tyki froze, his eyes wide. "It surprised me, but...it hit me then, how much I miss the stupid old panda." Lavi chuckled nervously. "I really wish I could see him again."

"Perhaps someday you will." Tyki said almost inaudibly, his heart clenching. Before Lavi could say more, Tyki leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead, then fled the room.

He didn't stop running until he was pressed against the door to his own room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.


	13. So Long, It's Been Good To Know You

I sincerely apologize for the delay on this. Really. I haven't been near a computer at all, and it's an absolute monster of a task to to post from my phone, you have no idea. Anyway, here's the, possibly, long awaited chapter of A Bullet With Butterfly Wings. I hope the chapter lives up to the story! XD

Yoshi: haha well here's the next chapter! XD

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 13

Adam snarled furiously as he worked, closing his eyes to pull more focus on what he was doing. His hands were cackling with dark energy, growing stronger as he tried to make it bigger and more powerful.

It was like pulling mud through a thin sheet of metal covered in tiny holes. He could feel his power on one side, just barely out of reach, but it was almost painful trying to access it. Already, he'd passed out from exhaustion and over exertion at least three times in just that day; a fourth time was just around the corner, he could feel it. Magic filled him at an infuriatingly slow pace, making the dark energy crackle with more vigor and- - -

He forced himself up with a sudden jolt, his head smashing into the corner of a nearby table and forcing him back down instantly. Clutching the injured areas, the throbbing back of his head in one hand from hitting the ground and the slightly bleeding lump on his forehead with the other, Adam closed his eyes again and mentally reached out, searching for the power he knew resided somewhere in him, the magic he had just been accessing only moments before.

It was gone, as it always was.

Cursing slightly, Adam rolled over slowly and carefully brought himself to his knees, hesitating a moment when his head swam dangerously before using the table to pull himself into a standing position. Leaning heavily on the wood, Adam glanced to a window to gauge how long he'd been out. The darkness of the night indicated that it was early in the morning, around perhaps four or five.

Seventeen hours, then.

Making a face as he stretched, Adam breathed heavily as he gingerly felt his head. Each time he tried to access his powers, ever since he'd discovered them, had resulted in his loss of consciousness. The first time had only been an hour, and it seemed that each time he tried had gotten longer and longer, especially the more times he tried to access it in one day.

And the more he tried to tap into it, the harder it became to hold onto even a small amount of it.

With a heavy sigh, Adam rubbed his face and sat down, wincing as his fingertips brushed against the cut on his head. Despite the pain and exhaustion that came from trying and trying and trying and _trying_ and failing, something pushed Adam to try more and harder and _better_ each time. Something that, when he first gained consciousness a year ago outside an unfamiliar village, it was easily ignored because it was barely there.

Now, it's a pounding in his head, throbbing along faster than the beat of his heart, a strange and urgent _need_ to discover and access this horribly unfamiliar-yet-familiar power residing in him. It's a necessity worth more than his health, food, water, rest, more than the air he needed to breathe to keep himself alive. It was almost a tangible thing, the need to regain control of the magic buried in him, and he was determined to do it even if it was what killed him off.

With a sigh, he relaxed and began the process again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Do you miss him a lot?" Lavi jumped from his position in the chair, his gaze moving from the surrounding forest to meet the almost hidden gold of Tyki. His mouth worked furiously- - -_ miss who me who is it I'm supposed to be missing?_- - -but before he could speak the gold eyes moved from his emerald to the trees. "The old man who was here before you. There was a connection between the two of you. Something deep- - -Rhode said there was an image of you in his bag. Do you miss him a lot?"

"I..." Lavi sighed but looked out across the trees.

"Rhode is the same." Tyki muttered absently, fingers trailing up and down his arm unconsciously. Lavi frowned, and Tyki continued without prompt. "She acts strong, and she clings to Miss Lenalee to hide it, but the closest she's ever had to parents is my brother and his wife."

"Are they...?" Lavi trailed off, his lower lip being worried by his teeth as he cautiously glanced at Tyki.

"They're fine." Tyki said. "But they aren't here, and that's what I think hurts Rhode the most. She's only ever had Lulubell, Miss Lenalee, and I as anything resembling parental figures in her life. It's damaging to a child, especially a young girl, to be without parents." Tyki sighed and faced Lavi again, reaching out and gently touching the red head before him for the first time; his fingers, both clawed and transparent human, gently pressed against Lavi's chin, making emerald eyes meet his own gold. A jolt went through his fingers, unknowingly sparking something underneath Lavi's eyepatch. "You must miss this man at least a little, especially if he was your caretaker."

"Yes, well, it's hardly a point of discussion." Lavi huffed slightly as he turned away. "I knew what I signed up for when I took the old man's place. I'm nineteen anyway, it was high time I left Bookman and tried to make my own living."

"How long were you with him?" Lavi sighed softly, his head pressing against the window as he thought.

"I met Bookman when I was young, maybe six or so." He said quietly, mind racing back to the day he first ran into the old man.

_A small red head pushed himself up against the glass, peering curiously into the glass between his small body and the stacks of books in the bookstore. His emerald eyes, one accentuated by the black design around it, darted from shelf to shelf, his fingers drumming against the window before he made up his mind and darted around a passing woman; ignoring her startled cry, the boy raced into the bookstore before the door closed behind him.

Inside, nobody spared him more than a glance, allowing him to twist around and find himself pressed against a bookshelf. His eyes briefly darted up to the books high above his head (he learned his lesson the time previous- - -climbing amongst the books to reach the ones too far for him to see was enough to get him kicked out) before he reached out and trailed his fingers across the spine of a worn green book. Smiling slightly, he moved down the shelf, his fingertips pressing against the spines of books as he taught himself the words printed on them.

As he turned the corner, he saw an old man bigger than he was looking up at a book out of his reach. Curious, the young boy went up to him, following his line of sight.

"'Scuse me, mister." He called loudly, gaining his attention. "Whatcha lookin' for?" The dark eyes of the old man looked him over slowly, from his shoulder-length knotted red hair and his emerald eyes (his gaze lingered slightly on the marking around his eye), to his smudged and filthy face, to his mud-caked and worn-through oversized shirt, to the pants kept up only by a rope tied several times around his waist and full of holes, to his bare and filthy feet.

"I'm searching for book." He said curtly, and it was the younger boy's turn to look him over. The older man was neatly groomed, mostly bald except for a long white ponytail in the middle of his head, qpand wearing a long black jacket that trailed on the floor beneath him. The red head grinned toothily at him, ignoring the raised eyebrow and odd look he was getting from the slightly taller male.

"Which one?" He asked. "I read lotsa books already. Are ya lookin' for a certain book, mister?"

"That's quite enough." Bookman snapped hastily. "It's none of your concern, really. Where are your parents, child?" Flinching back as if he'd been slapped, the red head stared at the old man with wide eyes before helplessly shrugging.

"They went away." He said finally. "I dunno where they are." They stood in relative silence, the old man and the young boy, the red head sniffling quietly and the old man studying the younger intently.

"Don't know." The old man sniffed haughtily. "You must learn to speak properly. No more of this 'dunno' and 'lotsa' and such other nonsense." Rubbing his eye with one hand, the younger could only tilt his head and manage a quiet 'huh?' before Bookman grabbed his wrist almost painfully and all but dragged the red head out. "Now let's see if you can't look somewhat decent with clothes your size and a good scrubbing."_

"I told him my name was" _Alexander_ "Lavi and I began following him everywhere. It got to a point where Bookman couldn't go anywhere with me holding onto his jacket." Lavi jolted slightly as he remembered that he wasn't supposed to be getting used to life at the castle with Tyki and everyone else; Lavi wasn't an identity he was supposed keep long. Bookman was expecting him back, he was supposed to have gone back ages ago. He couldn't afford to be wasting time entertaining Tyki and Rhode. He wasn't Lavi. His name was...

What? Lavi panicked mentally, his fingers gripping the windowsill in fear. What was his name before he came here? It hadn't been Lavi, he knew that much. _Lavi_ had come from Cross first, the bookkeeper who had abandoned Allen in the forest. It was a different name, something easy to remember...and, obviously, easy to forget.

_What the hell was his name?_

Tyki stood quietly behind Lavi, watching the younger boy shake. Biting his lip and misinterpreting the reason, Tyki placed his hands on Lavi's shoulders, the contrast visible to him.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. "I had not meant to bring up something so precious." Lavi ignored him, trying frantically to recall his identity before he came to this place. "You're free to leave any time you wish." Tyki lingered a moment, hoping Lavi would say something, but the red head was too caught up in trying to remember his name. With a slight sigh, Tyki leaned forward and pressed a light kiss on the back of Lavi's head. "I love you." He muttered almost inaudibly with his eyes closed. Lavi froze, thoughts interrupted and his eyes wide with surprise, as Tyki pulled away away and left him alone by the window.

Tyki raced down the hallway, his thoughts rushing in different directions. He felt almost as if he'd listened to the other boy's advice the night before and completely ignored it, yet honored it at the same time.

It was confusing, and he locked himself in his room for the rest of the day, Lulubell his only companion.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi threw things almost haphazardly into a bag, Miranda watching with wide eyes and wringing hands (though Lavi only caught the phantom movement out of the corner of his eye and ignored it the best he could). His face was flushed with excitement, and he was chattering with Miranda and Allen in a cheerful way he hadn't before. He didn't register their quietness and lack of energy until he was almost finished packing and the red head felt the tip of the mirror under his pillow as he sat down.

"What will happen if I leave?" Lavi asked quietly. He reached under the pillow, his fingertips absentmindedly tracing the thin gold design. Allen shared an unhappy look with Miranda.

"I don't know." The silver candlestick said quietly. "Maybe..." He trailed off and his human ghost moved over to wrap his arms around a silently sobbing Miranda, "things go back to normal?"

"Things are different now?" Lavi snorted, moving and pulling the mirror into the bag he was packing. Allen opened his mouth to respond, but for a moment he only gaped in silence before shifting and shaking his head.

"Of course things are different." Allen said softly. "You're here, aren't you?" Lavi gulped lightly and sat down again, his hands holding the bag open.

"Does my staying here really mean that much to you guys?" He asked. Allen sighed, pulling Miranda forward and placing his hand on top of Lavi's. Lavi's gaze was directed at the silent candlestick, the silver eyes holding the same pensive stare the human form held.

"It means so much more than you know." The candlestick murmured. Allen's grip tightened on Lavi, though the red head didn't feel it; with one last forlorn glance at Miranda, Allen forced a grin to his face and a cheer to his voice. "Stay one last night, for all of us. I beg of you, Lavi. You can leave in the morning, but grant us one last night." Allen watched Lavi bite his lip in contemplation. "We'll make it worth your while..." He all but sang, and Lavi grinned.

"One last night." He agreed. Standing, the red head moved right through Allen in order to place a finger on one of his arms. "Do your best, Allen Walker, to make this an unforgettable night." Allen grinned back and nodded; his grin faded as Lavi turned to tie his bag up. There was silence in the room for a few moments before Lavi stopped moving. "Hey, Allen?"

"Yes, Lavi?" Allen asked, looking up at the red head.

"Do you think..." Lavi licked his lips, refusing to face Allen. "Is it possible that Tyki might..." Allen felt his eyes widen, and he shared a hopeful look with Miranda as he hopped forward a little.

"Did Tyki say something to you?" He asked, barely able to keep the excitement out of his voice when the question presented itself. Lavi sat down again, slowly, and rubbed his temples under his headband.

"I'm not sure." He said finally. "I mean, I think he might have..." The red head hastened to say when Allen's face fell, "But I'm not sure, y'know? He said something, but I couldn't hear what it was..."

"It's fine." Allen assured Lavi, sharing a look with Miranda again. If Tyki said what the silver candlestick thought he did, then Tyki's sudden willingness to never leave his room made some sort of sense. "Don't think too much on it, Lavi." The red head frowned, looking between the two of them as they shared meaningful glances, but when neither offered to elaborate on them, he stretched languidly and collapsed backwards on his bed.

"Do you think maybe I could come back, after a bit?" Lavi asked curiously. Allen frowned, placing his hand on Lavi's.

"What do you mean, after a bit?" He echoed worriedly. "How long do you think you'll be gone, Lavi?" The red head licked his lips, thinking carefully on what he was about to say before he said it.

"I don't know exactly when..." He trailed off at Allen's crestfallen expression, his own emerald eyes widening in surprise. "I-I mean, I-I'll be back as soon as I can, but..." Lavi stammered, trailing off in a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair, a frustrated look coming over his face. "It's just...I don't think I'll be able to come back right away..." Allen swallowed heavily, forcing a smile on his face as he thought of what that might mean for the enchanted castle.

Was there no way for them to catch any sort of a break?

"I'm sure that whenever you deem it necessary to return, you'd be welcome with open arms." Allen said softly. Lavi threw him a smile and sat up again, picking Allen up and placing the silver candlestick on the ground.

"I need to finish packing now." He said quietly. "I'll see you in the morning." Allen nodded and motioned for Miranda to follow him out of the room. The wardrobe sent Lavi a watery smile before following.

When the door shut, Lavi collapsed on the bed and covered his face with a pillow; his normally covered, hidden eye was throbbing painfully under his eyepatch, causing a migraine.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Allen leaned back against the headboard in what used to be his room before the enchantment happened, Kanda laying next to him. They were in an odd position (odd because Kanda hated showing weakness in any way, and for some strange reason he considered this weak), Allen holding his upper body at an angle due to the headboard and Kanda with his arms around the paler boy's waist, Allen's right hand playing fondly with the long blue-black hair.

"What do you think will happen when Lavi leaves in the morning?" He asked softly. Kanda snorted and tightened his grip on Allen's waist.

"Don't know." He ground out, his voice muffled. "Don't really give a fuck now." Allen breathed a laugh, his fingers catching a bit in the long hair.

"Typical Kanda." Allen mumbled with a fond smile. "Seriously, though." He sighed heavily. "What if this is the last time we're human? And we won't ever change back?" Kanda shifted in Allen's lap, moving his arm underneath him to push himself up. Allen watched the muscles in Kanda's back ripple as the former samurai brought himself face to face with the former bookkeeper. With a determined glare (Kanda Yuu was always determined to do something), Kanda pressed his lips firmly against Allen's, making the younger sigh and his eyes flutter shut as he gave into the feel on Kanda's lips on his own.

"I don't give a fuck right now." Kanda repeated lowly, his lips brushing against Allen's as he spoke. "Just shut the hell up and enjoy this now. Worry about tomorrow later." Allen shook his head, their noses rubbing together as he did so.

"Sounds deep." He murmured, wrapping his arms around Kanda's neck after a moment of hesitation.

(A moment Kanda must have noticed; the second Allen had his arms comfortably around his neck, the taller male turned his head a little and, in one of the more touching things Allen had ever seen Kanda do, he pressed a small, almost loving kiss to his deformed arm.

He would never admit to finding the action loving at all, least Kanda never repeat it again in this lifetime. It was one of Kanda's weird little quirks that made the samurai much more 'formidable'- - -Kanda's words, not his- - -yet lovable at the same time.)

"I don't feel like hearing you whine right now." Kanda muttered as he settled against Allen again. "So shut up and worry later." With a fond smile, Allen sighed lightly and continued playing with Kanda's hair.

"Imagine you had never come here." Allen murmured gently, ignoring Kanda's annoyed sigh. "What do you suppose you'd be doing right now?"

"You mean besides sleeping?" Allen smiled, laughing quietly. Unbeknownst to Allen, the soft laughter and the movements of his chest because of it made Kanda smirk gently, his eyes softening slightly. "I dunno."

"Guess." Allen twined Kanda's hair into a loose braid. "If I wasn't here..."

"Then I'd be a traveler." Kanda finished after a minute of silent thinking. "Not staying in one place too long, not leaving any clue as to where I'd go next. No attachments, just what I needed to survive on my own."

"What about Tiedoll?" Allen asked softly. "Noise Marie? Daisiya?"

"The less I hear of that pack of idiots, the better." Kanda snorted. Allen laughed again, and they lapsed into silence again. "What about you, Moyashi?"

"I'm not a Moyashi!" Allen retorted instantly before glancing up at the ceiling. "I'd most likely be in the bookstore with Master Cross, struggling to pay off his debts and deal with the many angry men and women after him." Allen sighed and closed his eyes, one hand moving to cup the back of his head while the other continued playing with Kanda's hair.

"Doesn't sound any better than me." Kanda mumbled quietly.

"At least I have some demented, twisted form of company." Allen smiled. "As horrible as it would be." There was silence. "Then, one day, a tall dark stranger would come to our village, and he'd be extremely cold and rude and call me a Moyashi- - -"

"That's it!" Kanda announced, moving to get up. "When you start imagining scenarios, that's my cue to get the hell out of here."

"No, no, I'm done," Allen protested, laughing when he managed to get his arms around Kanda's neck and prevented him from moving. "I'm done, really." They settled back into their previous positions, the window allowing the light of the moon to light the entire room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It'll do you good to get out of the kitchen, Lenalee!" Rhode tugged on the older girl's arm, trying to force her out of the kitchen.

"What, and it's good for me to go right back into Komui's domain and have to deal with him being the overprotective brother he is?" Lenalee shook her head, trying to hide the grin on her face. "No way!"

"But, Lenalee, this could be our last night as humans!" Rhode exclaimed. "Do you really want to spend it cooking in the kitchen?" Lenalee hesitated.

"But...breakfast...and your uncle..." Rhode scoffed and waved airily, spinning on her heel.

"He won't mind the missing breakfast, I'm sure." Her face twisted in confusion and pain now that she didn't have to face Lenalee. "After all, Lavi's leaving tomorrow morning. I don't think anyone will want breakfast tomorrow because of it." There was a few seconds of silence, then Rhode felt Lenalee's arms around her waist, the older girl's chest pressed into her back. Lenalee's chin came to rest on Rhode's shoulder gently, Lenalee twisting her head so she wouldn't have to speak so loudly.

"I'll take a break." She promised quietly. "What is it you want to do, Little Mistress?" The fourteen year old beamed and spun around in the servant girl's arms, pressing a finger to the girl's nose and laughing when she went cross eyed to look at it.

"You're it!" Rhode squealed, pushing herself out of Lenalee's arms and darting down the hallway, her bare feet moving her quickly down the hall, her hair flying after her in her haste to get away. Lenalee smiled fondly, giving the young girl a moment's head start before chasing after the laughing teen.

Rhode laughed unabashedly when she heard Lenalee following her, though she laughed even harder when she spun around a startled Miranda, who let out a shriek when the young girl moved past her. Skidding to a stop when the hallway she ran down offered two separate routes in the castle, Rhode listened for Lenalee before taking off again to her right, moving down a darkened hallway that looked vaguely unfamiliar. She turned another corner only to stop short when she came face to face with gold eyes hidden behind glinting glasses, a wide, frightening grin underneath it.

Freezing in place and not hearing Lenalee's playful calls for her, Rhode did nothing but stare in horror at the Millennium Earl before her. His hand was on the brim of his hat, the other holding a pink umbrella, and he towered over the young girl, glaring down on her in a way that made her breath come in short gasps and her eyes widen in terror.

"Lord Millennium." She breathed fearfully, her body shaking minutely. The man before her said nothing; in fact, he didn't even move from the position he stood in. Rhode watched him carefully for a moment longer, the shakes her body created becoming more prominent as she did, only to realize one thing.

It wasn't real.

Rhode collapsed, Lenalee's voice sounding much closer and more filled with worry; the young girl couldn't bring herself to care. The relief that flowed through her at not actually coming face to face with the man that had given her nightmares when she was younger (yes, she had long since outgrown them by the time Hevlaska came around, but the fact remained that when she first arrived, the previous master of the castle had haunted her dreams in a terrifying manner) was so profound it was all Rhode could do to not burst into tears at that exact moment.

"Shh, shh..." Lenalee's voice came from above Rhode's head, her arms wrapping around Rhode's chest this time, her hair curtaining Rhode's vision of the Millennium Earl. "Come on, let's get out of here, Rhode."

"I haven't seen this hallway before." Rhode said shakily, getting to her feet with the help of Lenalee. "Why haven't I been down this way before? I thought I knew every room in the castle..." Lenalee led her out of the hall quickly, glancing back every few moments. "Lenalee, what is that?"

"We couldn't get rid of the stuff that the Millennium Earl created, so we moved it here." Lenalee said softly as they walked out. "We've been keeping everyone out- - -none of us wanted to worry any of you guys with this."

Rhode whimpered and curled in on Lenalee more, her body shaking violently again. Lenalee watched her with a frown, leading the girl to her room and sitting her down on her bed. With gentle coaxing, Lenalee convinced Rhode to lay down with her, her arms wrapped as tightly around the younger as Rhode's arms were around her.

"This is _**not**_ how I wanted to spend tonight." Rhode muttered after she'd calmed down enough to stop shaking and speak. "It isn't fair. Tonight wasn't supposed to be like this. We're going to feel horrible tomorrow morning as it is."

"I know, I know." Lenalee soothed her again. "Let's calm down a bit, then we'll go see if we can't go outside and talk with Jasdevi, all right?" Rhode nodded slightly, a slow smile covering her face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So that's it?" Lulubell asked dryly, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorway, her dark eyes locked on the figure of Tyki pressing his hand against the glass of the window. "After all this, you're letting him go?"

"What do you want me to do?" Tyki asked quietly. "What would you do, Lulubell?"

"I would make him stay!" The woman snapped. "At least until the spell breaks! Look, Tyki," she breathed desperately, moving and touching the other man's face with her fingertips, "we're so close. So close. We've almost broken the spell. The boy can't go just yet." Tyki placed his hand on Lulubell's, his fingers gripping her palm in his hand.

"We have no choice." Tyki smiled slightly when he looked down and saw Jasdero dragging Devitto through the gardens, both boys wrestling and play fighting as well as avoiding Komui by ducking under the flowers and bushes whenever he got too close. "At least, he'll get to see the old man- - -"

"Is that really so important?" Lulubell asked with a snap. "If he doesn't love you now, I fail to see how seeing one old man will change that in your favor. What on earth is going through your mind, little brother?" There was a knock on the door, followed by a slightly muffled 'Mistress Lulubell?';? Lulubell rounded on the door, quietly snarling. "Go away, Mimi, not now." Ignoring whatever else the girl said, Lulubell rounded on Tyki only to find him inches away from her, his hands coming to rest gently on her cheeks. They locked eyes, and after a moment, Lulubell repeated her question, albeit quieter and softer. "Why is this so important?"

"Because." Tyki responded just as quietly. "Somehow, Rhode was taken in by Sheryl, and when she finally felt at home with the man and his wife who found her, they left her here. Do you remember the face she used to make, her first years here, when Sheryl and Tricia came by to visit?" Lulubell nodded and bit her lip slightly to hide the amused smile. "Lavi would feel something similar to that, I'm certain, and who knows?" Tyki sighed, shrugging and pulling away from Lulubell. "Perhaps he would be happier away from this place."

"If you told him you loved him..." Lulubell said softly, but Tyki shook his head.

"I will not have him stay out of a warped sense of duty." He said firmly. "Not any longer. He will leave tomorrow to see the old man, and he will be free to choose as to whether or not he shall return or remain away."

"But if he's the one to help us, wouldn't giving him that option hurt more than help?"

"I don't know what else to do!" Tyki cried in frustration, hands running through his long wavy hair. "I know nothing about this, and I'm as lost as you are, Lulubell."

"If you truly loved him- - -" Lulubell tried, but Tyki interrupted her as he spun around and glared at her.

"I do love him!" He roared at her, making her eyes widen and forcing Lulubell to take a stunned step back. "And that's exactly why I'm letting him go." He sighed heavily and sat on his bed, rubbing his temples as he did. "This is...not as easy as you'd think, Lulubell. I don't want him to go away any more than you do."

"So why are you letting him?" She asked quietly. Tyki sighed again, biting his lip as he tried to word it properly.

"Do you remember what everyone used to say...before, I mean?" Lulubell bit her lip and shook her head, unsure where he was going with this. "'If you love something, let it go.'" Tyki quoted, staring at the darkened sky. "'If it returns, it's yours. If it doesn't, it- - -'"

"'- - -never was.'" Lulubell sat next to Tyki with a heavy sigh. Placing a warm arm around his shoulders, Lulubell placed her head against Tyki's. "Maybe now isn't the best time to enact such a saying. What if he never returns?"

"Then that is it." Tyki slowly began stroking Lulubell's hair. "Perhaps it's best, then. End it now, before everyone gets their hopes up."

"Everyone already has their hopes up that he is the one." Lulubell said quietly. "His leaving is tearing the castle apart; I can tell." They sat in silence for a while longer. "Are you going to see him off tomorrow?"

"Perhaps not." Tyki murmured absently. "I wouldn't want to ruin what could be a cheerful parting."

"He would want you there to say goodbye."

"I cannot bring myself to be able to." Tyki sighed and lay back against the mattress of his bed. Lulubell's hand hovered over his arm, the woman unsure of how the younger would react if she offered a comforting touch. "No more arguing. Leave me now, Lulubell, in peace."

"As you wish." She said softly, leaning over and pressing a soft, barely-there kiss to Tyki's temples before leaving the room as told.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'll be back before you know it, guys!" Lavi said, trying to cheer up the few who had gathered to see him off. Kanda looked annoyed, Allen had an extremely forced smile, Lenalee was comforting Rhode, who looked like she was about to burst into tears. "I promise, you won't even know I'm gone!" With a slight laugh, Lavi ignored the voice in the back of his head that told him that he wouldn't be back any time soon, if ever, because the second Bookman saw him, they would be miles away from the nearby village before Lavi could even say 'how are you, you old panda?'

"Don't forget us, ok?" Rhode said earnestly, sharing a look with Allen, who shook it slightly. Lavi nodded at her, beaming until she turned tail suddenly and left, Lenalee following after her. It was quiet, Lavi not moving as he gazed down the hallway almost expectantly.

"He isn't coming, Lavi." The red head looked down at Allen, who shrugged helplessly. "He refuses to leave his room right now. Not even Lulubell can coax him out now." Lavi waited a moment longer, his hand tightening slightly around his bag as he waited for Tyki to appear. After a minute and half of waiting, Lavi sighed and smiled tightly down at the people he'd come to befriend.

"I'll see ya around, huh, guys?" He said quietly. Allen opened his mouth, but closed it again when Lavi shook his head. Shifting his bag so it fit more firmly on his shoulder, the red head turned away and started down the entrance to the castle. He stopped just inside the entryway, hand on the side of the door, and peered up at the main guardian of the castle. "'M I clear to go, Skinn?"

The stone statue maneuvered himself to look down on the red head standing in the doorway; the hulking human ghost beside the door glared just as fiercely, his arms crossed in annoyance.

"I think Tyki Mikk is a damn fool for agreeing to this." He growled. "But you're free to go, boy. And don't let any one of us catch you around here unless you're willing to stay permanently, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, sir!" Lavi mock-saluted, stepping out towards the gate. He took a few steps, walking halfway to the gate, then turned again and waved at everyone watching him leave. "Don't you guys worry." He called back, eyes moving up the castle to the upper levels, hoping against hope to see Tyki silhouetted in one of the glass panes. "I'll be back before you even have time to miss me, I swear it!" He turned towards the gate again, his carefree smile dropping instantly as he began walking again.

Lavi wasn't even out of earshot before he heard Kanda's venomous "I told you guys you shouldn't have gotten your hopes up. The damn kid isn't worth this entire ordeal because he couldn't do it. I fucking knew something like this would happen." The words made him freeze in fear- - -did Kanda know more than he let on?- - -but the red head forced himself to keep walking and ignore the former samurai's words.

He placed a shaky hand on the gate for a brief moment, feeling a weight settle on his shoulders that hadn't been there before or even during his stay at the castle. Taking a deep breath as he faced the woods before him, Lavi prepared to make the day's journey go by as quickly as possible.

It surprised him when a horse came up to him after he'd been walking for twenty minutes. It was even more surprising when he realized it was familiar- - -the same horse that brought both him and Bookman to the castle.

"What are you doing here, huh?" He murmured softly, placing a hand on the flank of the horse. The animal snorted and stamped its foot, shaking its head and sending a clear message: get on. Looking around curiously, Lavi pulled himself onto the horse, confused but relieved he wouldn't have to make the entire journey on foot. "Onward, then."

The rest of the day was spent watching the forest for any particular kind of movement. Lavi, now that he had no real mission to finding either the castle or the village, took his time in looking around the beautiful forest around him. It was surprisingly green and alive, with splashes of color in the form of small animals and flowers along the ground. He was so distracted, when the first shouts of enraged voices reached him, he was startled.

Looking up, Lavi frowned when he realized several things: the trip back was nowhere bear as long as it was heading into the castle, there was smoke in the middle of the town, and even the house at the edge of the village, where Bookman lived, was dark.

Curiosity peaked, Lavi dismounted and walked toward the village, the horse following him. Making his way through the deserted town, frowning slightly when he heard windows closing around him, Lavi followed the sound of the men's voices to the center of town, right in front of Cross's bookshop.

And froze.

Adam stood in front of the fire, arms spread outward as he spoke. The men of the village were in a crowd around him, giving off enthusiastic cheers to every other thing that came from the man's mouth. Bookman stood with his head held high by Adam, though he looked uncomfortable standing so close to the man beside him and the people in front of him. Cross was leaning in his doorway, glass in hand and an unreadable expression on his face, Tiedoll beside him with a somber, worried look.

"Our people should not have to worry about a creature in the woods!" Adam yelled, addressing the crowd as a whole. "This is our town; our woods! We shouldn't have to avoid the trees just because of a horrible monster who wants to eat our children!" Lavi stared in horror as the men agreed, his eye throbbing painfully as he moved forward purposefully.

"Wait!" He called out, terror gripping his heart as he realized they wanted to go into the castle and harm his friends and Tyki. Everyone turned as one, their eyes wide with shock and surprise as Lavi barreled through them to stop them as best as he could.

"Lavi!" Bookman cried out, relief clear in his eyes and voice as he moved towards the red head, meeting him halfway and preventing him from going any further.

"You need to stop this!" Lavi directed at Adam, momentarily ignoring the old man with arms around his waist. "Please! Don't go after them!"

"You've managed to escape!" The man's voice sounded joyous, sending chills down Lavi's spine. The men around them cheered, but Adam wasn't deterred by his sudden reappearance. "That means the monster is angry!" He yelled over them. "His prisoner has escaped his reach, and he will waste no time in coming after him! We must protect our village!" The men cheered again, and Lavi felt his blood run cold when he sensed Adam's gaze lock with his own. "We must kill him." 


	14. The Chronicles of Life and Death

I love all of you who read, review, and support me. You guys are amazing. XD on the other hand, this story is fast approaching its end. It makes me rather sad, but I suppose all things end at some point.

And I apologize for the last cliffhanger, and for the upcoming one. Forgive me!

I'm sorry if the whole thing seems off or something. When I drafted the last three chapters originally, it was while I wrote the first chapter (and how long ago was that? Yikes. XD) So instead of deleting it and starting again (what can I say? I'm pretty lazy), I merely edited it and added what needed to be added to it. Huzzah. XD haha

On another note, I know I generally respond to the reviews when I can, and I haven't lately. My deepest apologies to you guys. I treasure your opinions, truly I do, and the reviews you give make me smile and completely make my day.

And now that that's done, because I know you're not here to hear me blabbering on, onto the story! XD

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 14

"No, you don't understand!" Lavi cried desperately, reaching for Bookman's arm to move the old man aside. His blood was cold, making him freeze, but Lavi couldn't stand by while they attempted to make Tyki into something he wasn't. Bookman wouldn't let him by, and Lavi struggled to get past him to Adam. "Wait, let me explain- - -"

"Quiet, Darryl!" Bookman hissed back, forcing him to stop by pushing him firmly in the opposite direction. Lavi was surprised enough to back away from Bookman. Was that his name, then? Darryl? It was a quiet, simple name, one easily thought of and just as easily forgotten; Lavi felt his upper li curl in distaste. It certainly wasn't a name he would have chosen for himself. "Let Adam speak."

"But he's not- - -" Lavi was interrupted again when Adam stood on top of a table, gaining everyone's attention from where they were watching Lavi with awe.

"The only way to deal with this creature," He yelled again to a frenzied crowd, "is to hunt it down and kill it!" The crowd cheered, and Lavi felt the blood drain quickly from his face, his body going cold once again. This wasn't the way he pictured his homecoming, not in a million years, and he feared for everyone at the castle: Rhode, Lenalee, Allen...Tyki. "That's the only way we know we'll be truly safe from this creature!"

"NO!" Lavi all but roared, finally pushing through Bookman and other people to grab Adam's arm. Fear coursed through him, making his blood pound in his ears and his hands shaky. "He's done nothing wrong- - -he stays in the castle with his family! Leave him alone!" Adam glared at him, and Lavi felt himself freeze again, for a much different reason.

"If you're not with us, you're against us!" Adam said firmly, moving to address the people again. Lavi growled and pulled at Adam's arm, preventing him from going anywhere.

"I'm against you, then." He snarled. Adam drew his arm back with a cringed look of disgust, and Lavi allowed his arm to slip out of his hand easily. "But I have proof that Tyki isn't the evil person you're making him out to be."

"Proof?" Adam said incredulously. "You have proof." Lavi was startled when Adam threw his head back and laughed maniacally, spreading his arms mockingly to the crowd. "All right, then, young man. Where is this 'proof' you have?"

"Here!" Lavi pulled the mirror out and cradled it against his chest almost fondly. Adam crept closer, eyeing it suspiciously. When he realized what it was, the aura around him turned dark with anger. Lavi, ignoring everything around him, tightened his hold on the mirror before looking down at it. "Please, show me Tyki!" He murmured desperately, fingers running over the gold design. The mirror flashed before revealing the master of the castle.

Lavi watched as Tyki shooed Lenalee away through his closed door, his eyes softening as in the mirror, Tyki turned his gaze to the forest just outside the window. Ignoring the rush of something he'd never felt before in his chest, Lavi lightly traced the figure before him before turning the mirror outward, showing Adam the image inside.

"Here is your supposed 'monster'!" Lavi yelled. "The one who is supposedly out to destroy your village!" Adam's eyes narrowed coldly under his glasses, the people around him gasping and pulling back in horror. "He's done nothing to gain your- - -"

A loud, almost heartbreaking howl echoed in the distance, the sound magnified by the mirror in Lavi's hands. Startled, the red head almost dropped the mirror in his haste to turn it around.

"What...?" He trailed off when, beside the mirror's image of a distraught Tyki, was the same man who'd been sneaking in and out of his room his last month there. They were both on their knees, on hand on the window and the other pressed against their forehead. On the pale man's face was an expression of utter devastation, a look Lavi was sure mirrored on Tyki's face. They were close together, almost overlapping one another, and in the back of his mind Lavi could feel himself trying to fit the pieces together. "Tyki?"

"You hear that?" Adam screamed, gaining everyone's attention again. He gestured towards the mirror and Lavi violently. "He wants out! He wants blood!" Women gasped, pulling smaller children towards them as if that would keep them safe. Lavi distantly heard more doors slam shut, men shooing home what women and children remained behind on the streets. "He'll come into our village and take what he wants, or who he wants, when he wants to! He'll put our entire village in danger!"

"That's not true!" Lavi yelled. He stepped towards the crowd, holding tightly to the mirror. "You have to trust me, I- - -" Adam grabbed his arms suddenly, pinning them behind the red head before he knew what was happening; Lavi struggled, trying to free himself, but before he could, Adam had stopped in front of Bookman.

"You're not part of this village." He said coldly. "You never were. But you were the one who came to us for the help in retrieving him," he shook Lavi once, as if the older man forgot the boy he'd been worried to death over the pastcouple of months, "and therefore you have a choice: you can join in with our cause, or suffer the same fate as your ward." Adam shook Lavi roughly again, and Lavi tried to aim a kick back in frustrated retaliation. He missed.

"Bookman, please..." Lavi met the old man's eyes, pleading his case silently. Bookman looked him over and sighed heavily, turning away.

"I want no part of your hunting party." He said finally. "But I join in your cause to protect your village." Adam nodded, pushing Lavi along until they came to an abandoned house. Despite the red head's struggles, Adam was able to open the doors leading to the basement and throw Lavi in; Lavi stumbled until he hit the wall opposite the door.

"Never fear, Darryl." Adam said coldly; Lavi felt a scowl cross his face at both the name and the casual, almost friendly way Adam said it. "Your precious monster will not live long enough to miss your presence for very much longer."

Lavi's eyes widened in horror, and he pushed himself off the wall; he darted forward, arms outstretched, reaching the door just as Adam slammed it shut and chained it. Undeterred, Lavi crashed into the heavy wood made heavier by the chain locking it, pushing and pounding at the door uselessly.

"Shit!" Lavi collapsed on the floor in a crumpled heap of black cloth and furious body. "I can't believe I came back for this- - -I'm so stupid!" He hit the ground angrily, tears forming in his eyes from a combination of the throbbing pain in his hand and frustration at getting caught and trapped in someone's basement.

He sat up suddenly, eye darting around in the dark room to see if he could find anything to break him out if the room he had managed to get himself locked in. It was a big room, bare of virtually everything save a bed and a writing desk. It reminded Lavi of his basement room in the village, the one he had when he shared a home with Bookman the year previous, and a sudden thought struck him.

There was obviously no other door, but he remembered looking around the basement a few days before Bookman agreed to live in the house. Back then, he had found a trap door which lead into the house, making him come up in what turned out to be their study/living area/dining room. Would such a trap door be here, as well?

He scrambled for his bag (if he was looking for the trap door, he would need something hard to discern where the floor sounded different), picking it off the bed where he had left it and dropping it in his haste to open it. Cursing quietly, Lavi froze when he heard a muffled 'ow!' from inside the bag. Blinking slowly, Lavi gently picked the bag off of the floor and opened it gingerly, peering into it curiously.

Rhode glared back up at him.

"You didn't have to drop us, you know." She said seriously, her violet eyes glancing around what little of the room she could see. Lavi placed the bag on the bed again, and Rhode hopped out, inspecting the room again now that she was no longer trapped in a bag.

"'Us'?" He repeated curiously. Rhode nodded, turning to face Lavi once more.

"Yes, 'us'." She said shortly, and Lavi winced- - -the girl was unhappy. Rhode continued, and Lavi could picture her with her hands in her hips, weight on one foot, her eyes narrowed in a glare as they were now. "We came to ask you to come back, Lavi. Or should I just drop all the pretenses now and just call you Darryl now?" Underneath her anger, Lavi could see the hurt in her eyes, and he tried to fix the situation as best he could.

"No, Rhode, Lavi is fine..." He started gently, but she cut him off when she spun around.

"Stop." She ordered firmly, taking a deep breath and sighing. "You lied. To all of us." Lavi winced and leaned down until his eye was level with the small teacup's. Rhode glared at him, trying to keep a straight face, but Lavi could seethe confusion and betrayal in her eyes and face. "Why would you do that?"

"I'm sorry, Rhode, honestly, I - - -"

"Miss Rhode." A voice cut across his apology and Lavi looked down, startled, to see a determined looking figurine normally found in the gardens climbing out of the bag as well- - -Komui, Lenalee's big brother. He was one of the few workers in the castle Lavi hadn't met, but the gardener was one that the red head heard plenty of. Currently, he dutifully ignored Lavi's startled gasp and stood before the girl. "We had come to bring Lavi back to the castle for Master Tyki, correct?" The girl made a face, but nodded nonetheless. Komui smiled gently at the girl, his silver arms resting atop the brim of her cup, his arms wrapping around the small girl comfortingly (he had lots of experience consoling young girls, thanks to Lenalee). "Then we shall return to the castle with him for now- - -" Lavi smiled slightly at having an ally in some way, until the man turned and smiled sinisterly at him. "- - -where we can subject him to the wrath of one of my Komurins!" The man laughed gleefully, and Lavi felt something sink in his stomach.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Lavi left, the small group slowly dispersed. Skinn climbed up to his perch again, his ghost turning lighter as he moved to sit higher than he normally did, placing himself in the morning sun and making himself appear paler than normal. Lenalee sighed heavily and moved towards the kitchen, and Kanda followed Allen to the library. Lulubell, being followed by Mimi, walked gracefully up to the door.

"Skinn." She called loudly out the open door. The guardian called grunted, by it didn't deter the blonde. "Get your ass down here, Skinn, now." Grumbling, the bulky male swung around and dropped down on the ground, peering up at her.

"Lulu." He growled calmly. She regarded him coldly for a short moment, his eyes sharp and piercing.

"We mustn't let anyone else into our home." The blonde said after a few tense, silent moments interrupted by the occasional 'mew' from the black cat curled at Lulubell's feet. "Therefore, you should watch anyone who is headed in our direction, and let me know immediately." Skinn nodded, confused but not willing to cross the severe blonde woman. Her eyes moved to the forest, watching as though she expected someone to emerge through the trees. "This was one close call. Lavi will be back, and we mustn't allow anyone else to undo what has already been done."

"How do you know Lavi's coming back, Mistress Lulubell?" Mimi asked, refusing to keep quiet behind her. Lulubell moved her gaze to Mimi's, her eyes blank.

"I don't know if that idiot will come back." She said quietly. "None of us do."

"Then why hold our breath for him?" Mimi asked, her fingers twirling in her blue pigtail, a petulant expression on her face. "We should at least hope someone will break this damn spell!"

"We are hoping!" Skinn growled at the same Lulubell's human hand ghosted through Mimi's cheek, causing the girl's face to twist the side. The slap that would normally echo through the empty hall was distant-sounding and faint, and Mimi whimpered slightly from where she stood.

"We can't allow for doubt to enter this place any more than it already has." Lulubell snapped, glaring at the maid before her. "As it is, we're suffering the blow from him leaving. We can't think that Lavi won't come back."

"Besides," Skinn said with a grin, "we sent two people who will bring him back for sure!" Mimi looked confused, but Lulubell nodded, giving them both a rare, never-before-seen smile.

"That's right." She said thoughtfully. "All we can do is continue on with our life and hope they'll come back soon." After a few moments, Lulubell shook her head and sighed. "All right, enough of this foolishness. Skinn, back to work. Don't let anyone else in this castle. I need to tell the others." With a nod, Skinn climbed to the top of his perch again, feeling fully confident for the first time their plan would work.

Unfortunately, several hours after he had finished talking with Lulubell, Skinn noticed smoke coming from the woods. Confused, and feeing like everything was going wrong, the main guardian climbed to a higher point of the castle to get a better view.

"Shit." He groaned, seeing the tops of people's heads from where his human form stood. "Jasdevi! Krory!" Almost instantly, the human forms of the two boys, Jasdero on Devitto's shoulders as usual, and that tallest male in the castle appeared by his side. Ignoring the two youngest's normal bickering, Skinn pointed in the direction of the smoke. "Over there- - -what do you see there?"

"It appears to be..." Krory trailed off as he peered closer. "Why, it appears to be a large group of people!" He exclaimed in surprise, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Are they headed this way?"

"What?" The boys yelped, Jasdero surprising Krory by jumping off Devitto's back and onto the taller man's. "No way, no way!" The blonde boy cried, scrambling onto Krory's shoulders at the same time Devitto growled out "You're fucking joking!"

"Why are they coming here?" Krory asked, wringing his hands fretfully. "Are they people from the village? I haven't met any of them! None of us have been to the village in ages! And they seem so angry. What could we have possibly done to anger them?"

"That's not important." Skinn growled. "We need to warn everyone. Get back to your stations. Jasdevi, warn the workers in the gardens. Krory, tell everyone in your area." They all saluted, Jasdero crawling back towards his partner in crime.

"There's going to be a war, Devi." Jasdero giggled, his eyes widening in an almost terrifying manner. "A big war, one that will have much much bloodshed. Won't that be fun, Devi?"

"Only if I get to fight too!" The darker teen growled playfully, tackling the blonde and making them fall off the roof.

"Is there really going to be a war?" Krory asked, panic in his voice. "I don't know if I could handle a war! Oh, no, what are we going to do?"

"Shut up!" Skinn snapped, cuffing Krory's arm slightly. Krory whimpered softly, but Skinn ignored it in favor of pushing the taller towards his statue. "Go do as I said. We'll find a way through this." Krory sniffled but nodded, jumping down to his place.

Feeling an unusual sense of unease, Skinn followed them to his spot in front of the castle.

Several hours later found Miranda, Kanda, Allen, Lenalee, and every other enchanted objected that could leaned against the door as best they could, giving each other worried glances with each warning signal that came from Skinn. The attackers so far were far enough that they couldn't hear Skinn alerting the castle to their approach, but the fact that they were so close made them all nervous. It wasn't midday any longer, twilight was fast approaching, but it was approaching too slowly- - -at this rate, they wouldn't even be human enough to defend their home.

If they would even turn tonight.

"What do we do?" Mimi asked, her brown eyes terrified as she huddled near Lulubell, who was looming protectively over Lenalee; the blonde ghost stood with one hand on Lenalee's shoulder, the other on Mimi's, her expression closed off and cold. Mimi looked from Lulubell to Miranda to Kanda to Allen, hopeful that one of them had some semblance of a plan. When none came forward, she sniffled lightly, tears in her eyes.

"I don't know yet," Allen said firmly, "But whether or not we turn human tonight is not factoring in this." He looked at all his friends around him and his silver gaze hardened slightly. "It's been on my mind ever since Lavi left, and I'm sure it's been on some of your minds too." He took a deep breath, not sure how to continue but making it up as he went along. "But right now, being human or not doesn't matter. We've all lived here for a while, some more than others," he amended slightly with a pointed look at Lenalee, who smiled back, "And this is our home. We need to defend it as best we can!"

"And just how do you suggest we do that, Moyashi?" Kanda asked dryly. Allen thought for a moment, then reached over to the communication system they had set up with Skinn, the one they created when they first turned human. The wire, connected to two different makeshift speakers, was hidden along the doorframe and hidden by the stone statue that was Skinn, allowed communication between the guardian and the castle members he guarded.

"How long until they get here?" Allen asked. It was quiet for a moment as the protector and guardian judged the villager's distance and how long it would take them to cover it.

"About two hours, give or take." Was the response. "For such a big group, they move faster than Lavi had. They must have some sort of motivation or something to be moving as quickly as they are now." Kanda cursed, Lenalee and Mimi gasped with wide eyes, Lulubell's eyes narrowed as the black cat arched her back and hissed. Allen contemplated and looked around the living room.

"They don't know this is an enchanted place, do they?" He asked slowly. They all turned to look at him curiously, and Allen gave them all a dark grin that sent shivers down each of them. "I may have found our advantage, hehe..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Adam glared hatefully at the castle that loomed before him. Despite the fact that it had taken all day to reach said castle, he was the only one not out of breath and able to look upon in. It looked well-cared for, if not abandoned, and the thought made his scowl deeper. Leading the village men, he strode right up to the door, sparing not a glance at whatever they saw that frightened them as they approached the door. Throwing open the heavy piece of wood, Adam strode right into the main hall.

"We're here!" He called out mockingly. "Anybody home?" Silence greeted him, and he turned to the men standing just outside the door. "What on earth is your problem?" He snapped. Instead of answering, one of them pointed at the space above the door, terrified. Annoyed, Adam walked over to see what they were looking at.

Glaring down at them was an enormous stone statue, face twisted in fury. It loomed over them all dangerously, looking as though any moment it would reach down and grab a few of them. The stone statue looked, for all intents and purposes, as if it would kill them easily and without hesitation.

(Skinn glowered at them from the sides as well, knowing fully that none of the humans there could see his true form. It gave him a great sense of satisfaction to know that his statue alone was terrifying enough to make them all stop in their tracks, though he knew it wouldn't be enough to keep them from entering the castle. Hoping that Allen's plan was going to work, Skinn forced himself to stay still and not move while the men from the village gathered around one another in fear.

Across the castle, Jasdevi shifted and whined in annoyance and worry, knowing that there were intruders in the castle and that Skinn couldn't hold them off alone; they wanted desperately to go help, just so they could fight, but the sun was still up and they couldn't move from the south part of the castle they were stationed at. Between them and Skinn, Krory bared his fangs angrily, wanting to help as well but not being able to leave where he stood; Allen had ordered him to stay put, in case some of the intruders decided to find another way into their home. They all were to wait until nightfall, when they could finally join the fight.)

"You are all afraid...of a statue." Adam said slowly as he looked them over. One of the braver men, a young man named Toma, stepped forward slightly.

"We expected them, especially because it's such an old castle, but there's something different about this one in particular." He explained, glancing back up at it. "It's almost as if this one protects the castle, and it's good at its job." Adam snorted, reaching out and grabbing a man at random, pulling them forcefully over the threshold.

"Just get inside." He demanded harshly. The men all obeyed him quickly, almost tripping over themselves to get inside. Toma stood outside for a few moments longer, staring up at the great stone creature before him.

"Please excuse us." He said quietly, placing his hands together and lifting them towards Skinn, bowing his head. His soft statement didn't go unnoticed, and when the young man went inside, Skinn made a mental note to keep an eye out for him.

They all stood behind Adam in the hallway. The main hallway was enormous, with a beautiful table every fifty or so feet on one side and a row of armor on the other. There were beautiful windows, the setting sun visible in the cut glass. The men looked around in surprised awe, with comments here and there about the decor of the hall. Adam's arm twitched, and he felt the urge to try to summon his magic again.

"Look," He snarled, grabbing their attention. "You lot do what you want with the castle. Take what you can carry if you wish." The men nodded in agreement. "I'm going to slay this monster!" They cheered for him, and with their support, Adam turned and went down the hall, beginning his search for the creature.

Once he was far enough, he stopped. Holding out his arm curiously, Adam closed his eyes and began his usual exercises for summoning his magic.

It came easily, like water flowing through a river, surprising Adam with how much he gathered in a few short seconds. With a grin that was starting to widen to it's original shape, Adam allowed the magic to lead him up the stairs down twisting hallways, further and further away from the group gathered at the front door.

Toma broke away from the group first, wandering down the hallway and stopping by a table, picking up a silver candlestick.

(Above them, in the rafters, Lulubell tensed, her cat form arching its back and hissing quietly, her human ghost tightening her grip on the rafter below her; Lenalee gasped quietly, the teapot worrying her lip while her ghost grabbed Lulubell's arm, as he inspected Allen.)

"What a beautiful candlestick." He commented to himself, turning it in as many directions he could. "Elicia would love this, no doubt about it." With a gentle smile, Toma placed it back down next to the dark blue clock that stood beside it. Picking that up just as gently as he had the candlestick, Toma inspected it just as carefully, muttering a simple "Interesting..." under his breath before placing that down in its space once more and continuing down the hall, oblivious to the hidden incredulous stares he got from the object he was just holding and the ones hidden in the rafters. Kanda and Allen, standing beside their respective castle items, visibly relaxed, sharing slightly relieved glances at each other. While their placement wasn't important for the last minute defense plan Allen created, it would have been so much harder to attack from inside a bag.

Allen looked up at Lulubell and Lenalee, and both girls read the expression in his eyes.

_Be careful with that one- - -he could be convinced to join our side._

Nodding once, the girls moved towards the highest point in the castle, the attic where Mimi and several other girls- - -mostly assorted teacups and dusters from the servant's quarters.

"Well?" Mimi asked earnestly, her big brown eyes wider than normal. "What's the word, girls? Can we start yet?"

"We're just about ready." Lulubell toned blandly, fingers running through her loose blonde hair. Pulling it all up into one ponytail, Lulubell tied the strands on her head and opened her mouth to keep talking just as the sun set fully.

She vanished, the black cat giving off a quiet 'mew' as an order.

The girls gave each other panicked looks, uncertain of what to do, before Lenalee swallowed heavily and took control.

"So that takes care of one thing." She said shakily, gaining everyone's attention. "We aren't turning human tonight." A girl sniffled, and Lenalee hastened to speak over her. "Thankfully, our plan works just as good now- - -better, actually!" Mimi turned away from a clearly sulking Lulubell to face Lenalee. There was a fire in her eyes, one that hadn't been seen since the curse began.

"What do we do?" She asked. Lenalee smiled and gathered the girls around her.

"We need to get word to the kitchens and tell them when all the townspeople are in the castle." She started. "The trick is to hurt them enough to get them out, but not to kill." The girls nodded as Lenalee told them the whole plan, grins widening as they listened to the idea created to protect their home.

Several minutes of quick preparation later found them all ready and in place. Mimi stood just inside the door leading to the main hallway, watching as the men entered slowly after one another. Strategically placed in the rafters were the teacups, all from the kitchens and the servants quarters, Lenalee included, all filled to the brim with scalding water that did nothing to the glass cups, but would significantly burn the men below them. Miranda, shaking obvious only to those who would look for it, stood by the stairway leading to the upper levels of the castle and the door that would lead to the dining hall.

"Now!" Mimi signaled. Lenalee nodded as best she could as the men lined up underneath them.

"Now!" The teapot ordered, causing them all to look up in confusion. As soon as they did, Lenalee leaned forward, emptying her contents onto the one below her. The rest of the teacups did the same, causing the men below them to collectively cry out in agony. They scattered, and the chaos began.

Kanda, using the sharpest knife he could find in place of the unusable Mugen in his room, began slicing at their legs, causing them to trip and fall to the floor. Allen, defending Mimi when one of the men grabbed her and began ripping the feathers out of the duster she had turned into, used the fire from the candlestick to burn him into dropping her. Miranda, with a loud wail and scream, threw the doors to the cabinet open just as two men ran at her. Hitting one and knocking him out, the other she was forced to hit with the many drawers that lined half of the space inside her. Jasdevi and Krory, able to abandon their guard spots for the first time in almost two years, joined; the combined boys swung in through the window and, laughing crazily in Jasdero's normal manner, they began almost sadistically fighting whomever ran at them. Krory, in his unusual style of fighting, apologized each time he hit someone hard enough to knock them into the wall opposite him, defending his home even while regretfully fighting the men invading it.

The garden squad, finding one of Komui's unused, yet completed, creations he called 'Komurins', managed to find a way to activate it. It was tearing through the castle hallway, picking up villager's and flinging them out of the castle in the direction of their village (Reever was wondering how injured they would be when they landed, but couldn't being himself to care much. Though the Komurins were extremely dangerous, these men were trying to destroy the castle. Reever figured they were about even.), screaming. Johnny was paying close attention to the controls, moving the huge hunk of tools in ant direction Reever told him to. The rest of the tools were fighting the villagers in a more hand-to-hand (so to speak) combat.

The door creaked open, and everyone turned to see a tall red head standing in the doorway, Rhode and Komui with him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi had his head in his hands, Komui searching the grounds nearby, and Rhode glaring hatefully at him, when the first sounds of the chain clinking caught his attention. Quieting Komui hurriedly and holding Rhode (she agreed after a hesitant second), Lavi made his way to the door, pressing his back against the wall beside it. Outside, the rattling was getting slightly louder; words began to accompany the clinking noises until- - -

CRASH!

The entirety of the wooden door came crashing down to the ground, the chains rattling even more as the silver metal followed suit before hanging in midair. Komui, standing next to Lavi, climbed up his leg and pulled himself into his pocket; Rhode burrowed herself against Lavi's shirt with a muffled noise that sounded suspiciously like a squeak.

"Darryl?" Came a questioning voice; Lavi felt himself draw back at the familiar-yet-unfamiliar name. "Darryl, where are you? Show yourself, my boy!"

"Quiet, old fool." Lavi felt his eyebrow raise when the slurred voice of Cross rang throughout the basement. "Oi! Idiot boy! Can you hear me?" Rhode shook when Lavi opened his mouth, so he leaned back harder against the wall, staying silent. Cross waited a few moments before cursing under his breath; Lavi could hear the annoyance in the man's voice when he spoke again. "Foolish child, I'll tell you this one time, understand? You've got to get back to the castle before Adam and his mob get there. If you leave now, you may have a few minutes to warn them!"

"If you get caught again, though, we can't help you a second time." Came the first voice. After a few moments, Lavi recognized it as the old painter he had met just days before coming to the castle. Tiedoll. "So be on your guard, son, all right?" Lavi bit his lip, debating for a few moments. In the silence, he could hear the two men turn slightly and prepare to leave.

"Wait!" He cried, running towards them and standing in the light the open door created. Both men turned, Tiedoll with a relieved look on his face and Cross barely hiding his irritation.

"Where was this when we freed you, and I was telling you what to do?" The older red head snapped, glaring at him through the white mask on his face. Lavi ignored his question, looking from Cross to Tiedoll and back.

"Why would you free me?" He asked faintly. "Aren't you guys...?"

"We hope you'll help our boys." Tiedoll said cheerfully. "You're so close already, we can tell. It'll only just be a bit longer, then our boys will come back to us, I'm certain of it." Lavi rubbed his face, confused. It showed on his face, because Tiedoll placed a hand on his shoulder and looked the younger boy in the eye. "As you know, Cross' apprentice Allen Walker is there, in the castle," both ignored Cross when he began mumbling about the debts he needed to pay off, both far too used to the man's gambling ways and horrible habits, "but my own child, Kanda, is there as well."

"Kanda's your _son_?" Lavi asked incredulously, looking the old man over. It was hard to believe Kanda even knew this man, let alone was raised by him. The cobalt clock was so harsh and angry all the time, with violence not far from his mind and a steady willingness to fight whenever he could. That such a boy could come from (well, from what Lavi could gather in his two short meetings with the man) a man so warm and welcoming, with polite manners and a comforting aura.

"Now isn't the time to go over family history!" Cross snapped, reaching over and grabbing Lavi by the back of his shirt. Ignoring the younger boy's startled yelp, Cross dragged him a few feet before pushing him in the direction of a horse. Lavi stared at him with wide eyes, so stunned he wasn't able to react when Cross reached over and forcefully tugged the eyepatch away from his face, breaking the string holding it together. Dangling the destroyed eyepatch and grinning at the design traced around Lavi's eye, Cross made a shooing motion with his other hand. "Go on, then. To make up for the lost time, you should allow that young mistress in your hands to dictate a shorter route to her home. You clearly need all the help you can get, and for the moment, that young lady happens to be your greatest asset, my friend."

Rhode turned slightly, peering at Cross with one of her violet eyes.

"Thank you for helping us." She said quietly. "You've completely changed my horrible thoughts of you. You may actually be somewhat decent." Cross snorted as Lavi placed her gently into his bag with Komui.

"Don't misunderstand, milady." Cross held the bag open so he could see her properly, grinning almost maliciously. "I lent my apprentice to your home, and I need him back. There's no one else to pay my debts, you see, and I'll be needing him back, preferably as soon as possible. And the only way to ensure I get him back as soon as humanly possible to pay off the huge amounts I owe, is to ensure that this boy admits what he won't and reverse this mess." There was a beat of silence, Rhode staring with wide eyes and a slightly dropped jaw.

"And now you've returned to the bad side of my thoughts." Rhode said with a cleared throat. "You've managed to prove Lenalee wrong." Cross grinned.

"Good luck." He handed Lavi the bag as Lavi situated himself on the horse.

"Are you certain I can do this?" Lavi asked, gathering his courage to go back to the castle and, among others, Tyki. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the pale, faint form of a young girl with long hair settle herself behind him; pale, barely there arms wrapped around his stomach, though he couldn't feel them around him.

"We have the utmost faith in you, my boy." Tiedoll said firmly, giving Lavi an encouraging smile.

"Just follow my instructions and we'll get there fine." Rhode told him irritably, moving herself to balance precariously near the reins of the horse. "And, so help me, if you let me fall, I will make you regret it more than the fact that you hid your true name from us, whoever it is you are."

"I said I was sorry already!" Lavi told her as they began their journey. "And I told you, it's Lavi. My name is Lavi." Rhode glared at him from under the brim of her cup, sparing only a glance at the sun.

"We're so far behind them." She said instead, completely disregarding Lavi. "You'll really have to move it if we plan to catch up in any way at all."

"All right." Lavi sighed, shaking his head at Rhode's stubbornness. "Let's ride!"

Lavi paid close attention to the girl in his hand, following the directions she gave to a quicker path to the castle (what he would have gave to have this knowledge his first time around...). The ride passed in semi-silence, Rhode not willing to speak to Lavi aside from giving him instructions to her home. All too soon, they were at the steps of the castle; it was just a bit after the sun set, and the lack of Skinn guarding the front entrance made Lavi weary. He had never known the guardian to move from his perch, and the fact he had done so worried not only the red head, but Rhode as well.

"I suppose we got here when we could." She said finally, glancing uncomfortably at the shadows around them. "Perhaps it's best to talk about your lies after we've helped out, yes?"

"I said I was sorry." Lavi grumbled as he got off the horse, placing her on his shoulder.

"I know."

"Will you not forgive me, Mistress Rhode?" Lavi asked almost teasingly, shouldering his bag after placing Komui on the ground. He smiled when the head gardener raced towards the heavy doors of the castle.

"I'll leave that to my uncle." Rhode said indifferently. "Until then, we must see what these brutes are doing to my home, and see how we shall save it."

"As you wish." Lavi grumbled, following Komui and forcing the door open to complete and utter chaos. Lavi was surprised to see the entire castle armed and fighting; Rhode gasped in his ear, her eyes wide with shock, and somehow her gasp caught the attention of everyone in the room. Everyone stopped a moment, turning to face the door.

Upon seeing Lavi standing in the doorway, Komui dropping out of the boy's bag and Rhode on his shoulder, the inhabitants of the castle breathed a sight of relief. Lenalee, still in the rafters, shared a relieved look with Allen. Miranda, still hitting a man with her drawers, nearly started crying in relief. Jasdevi used their hair as a way to throw a man out of their way and in a random direction of a wall, giving the red head a huge grin and thumbs up. Krory had tears running down his face, his hands clasped and his eyes shining in happiness. Kanda 'hmm'ed, but allowed Lulubell past him when she approached Lavi and began pushing him in the direction of one of the upper halls.

Everything seemed to be going well, until there was a muffled crash and the sound of glass hitting the floor.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Adam stormed down the hallway, feeling the something gathering in his hands and pooling from his fingertips up to his wrists in a matter of seconds as he moved. He knew, without a doubt, that dark matter crackling with small volts of electricity was visible on both hands, and the thought of them there made an enormous smile cross his face easily. It was the easiest his magic had come to him yet, and he had yet to feel the usual after-effects that he normally felt. It made him grin wider than normal, and he could feel the magic coursing through him and altering his appearance slightly.

He made his way through the castle, kicking open the doors to every room he came across. Though each door led to an empty room, he didn't allow it to deter him; he was on a mission to find the so-called master of the castle.

"Lord Tyki Mikk!" He called, sarcasm and mockery dripping from his voice. "Lord Tyki Mikk, come out and face me! Come out!" His voice echoed in the hallways with no answer, and his face turned into a scowl as he kicked the next door with more force; the door splintered as it hit the wall, but he paid it no mind. "_**Where are you, you ungrateful son of a bitch? Stop acting like a coward and face me!**_"

"What is it you want?" Adam whirled around, hearing Tyki's voice in the echoing hallway. "What is your business here, stupid human?" A snarled grin made its way onto Adam's face.

"You'll find I'm more than a mere human, Tyki." He growled out. Swinging a fist out in a wide arc, Adam felt more than saw his hand hit the monster. There was a surprised grunt from the creature, and Adam felt his grin widen impossibly. He paused momentarily to pull out a sword from nowhere, and swung outwards with it.

It hit the wall, completely missing his target.

"Stop hiding!" He snapped. "You will come out to fight like a man!"

"And since when do I take orders from the likes of you?" Adam barely had time to turn around when a clawed hand reached out of the darkness beside him. The sharpened nails cut through his sleeve and arm, making blood trail down his arm and drip off his hand.

"I heard that you very rarely fight anymore, Lord Tyki Mikk." Adam snarled, twisting around to find him, ignoring the question thrown at him. The blood dripping from his wound only fueled the dark energy around his hands, and each drop that left his fingertips made him grip the sword in his hand even tighter. "You're not the monster you had been trained to be any longer, are you?"

"It's true." Came in a slow admittance. "I never leave this castle. It leaves very few options to prey on the weak, wouldn't you say?" Adam snorted, swinging his sword around just in time to come face to face with Tyki Mikk himself. Their swords clashed together, Adam's swinging from below to block the downward strike meant to injure him. Tyki snarled wordlessly, pressing his weight into the strike, the edge of his blade sliding against Adam's; the angle of their swords brought them closer and closer together, until the hilts met and they were stalemated. Tyki's hard gaze met Adam's, his eyes somehow finding the other's underneath the dark shadows both the castle and his hat provided.

"You've grown weak." Adam hissed angrily. "It's pathetic. Was one young man really able to cripple you so much, undo all those years of cunning words and harsh blows?" Tyki ignored the question, bringing his leg up and kicking out at Adam just as the sun set in the distance. Glancing at the newly darkened sky, Tyki only had a flicker of confusion go through his mind before he was blocking an attack from Adam.

"You know nothing of me!" Tyki snapped back, backing away under the sudden barrage of the other man. Adam laughed manically, thriving under the ever-growing strength of magic rushing through him.

"You misunderstand, my boy." He yelled, locking swords withTyki long enough to pull him close and turn him around, forcing Tyki through the room he had taken shortly after the disappearance of the Millennium Earl- - -the enormous master bedroom shrouded in shadows, the blooming rose and the lone Tease hidden safely away in the farthest corner of the room. Tyki grunted when his back met the window harshly, the glass cracking underneath him with the force Adam used to pin him in place. Their swords were still locked, the blades turned to keep Tyki from leaning too far forward by being placed at his throat. Adam leaned forward with a grin, pushing the edges of both blades further into Tyki's throat. "I know more about you than you'd think."

With that last word, Adam pulled Tyki forward and pushed him against the double window, harder than he had before, and the glass shattered underneath him. With a loud yell, they both fell out of the window, landing with a crash on the balcony the story below; glass rained down on the both of them as they rolled around on the floor, swords abandoned in the fall. Adam growled when Tyki's claws sliced through his arm again. Tyki grunted when Adam's knee landed on his stomach, the man's entire weight on his knee. The glass crunched underneath them as they rolled around in their fistfight, not picking a side and just slicing through whatever was unlucky enough to get caught on its sharp edges. Adam threw himself forward, aiming a punch at Tyki's face just as the younger managed to bring his leg up; using his shin and ignoring the glass digging into his back, Tyki kicked and forced the man over his head, sending him sliding through the glass and coming to an abrupt stop as his head met the railing of the balcony.

Forcing himself up and twisting around, Tyki barely noticed the few audience members they seemed to have gained; instead, he grabbed the sword nearest to him and advanced on the man leaning heavily against the railing, hand on his head. Closing in, ignoring the blood trickling down various cuts and scrapes from the glass, Tyki raised the sword above his head- - -

And dropped it behind him, his hands falling immediately to his stomach. Adam peered up at him with a distorted grin, his hand wrapped tightly around the sudden dagger halfway into the other's stomach.

"Never underestimate the opposition, Tyki." He pushed the dagger further in, forcing the addressed to take a small step back. With a harsh laugh, Adam kicked Tyki just under the area of penetration, forcing him to stumble back even more; Tyki tripped, landing harshly on the glass while blood trickled out around the dagger in his stomach.

His breath came in short, shallow pants; with a slight groan, Tyki bit his lip and began slowly, painfully, inching the dagger out. Blood gushed out with each freed sliver of silver, making the task harder than it should have been. Vaguely, Tyki heard a strangled cry coming from the glass doors leading to the balcony, a cry that sounded suspiciously like Rhode's, but he found he couldn't focus much on that. A random thought flew by- - -he was grateful that Lavi had left early that morning- - -before Tyki felt himself lose consciousness. 


	15. And Then There Were None

Well, this finished faster than I anticipated. Truly. I thought it would be a week before it would be ready, but I think it's finished. It's a bit shorter than the last chapter, but not much. XD yay! Now, there's really only one chapter left. I feel sad- - -I love this story. Maybe I'll write an epilogue, if I feel like it. I'm not sure.

Thank all of you guys, the ones who've both stuck with me from the beginning and kept reviewing for me, and those of you who've started reading and reviewing lately. You guys are amazing. XD

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 15

Racing up the stairs (there were far too many stairs, Lavi thought irritably as he rounded the second flight), Lavi, Rhode, and Lulubell left the remaining chaos to the rest of the group as they went to investigate the suspicious noise. A dark, heavy feeling grew in Lavi's stomach as he realized that Adam had not been a part of the fight against the castle; Tyki was missing as well, and the only thing running through Lavi's mind was the dark aura around Adam as he all but promised to kill Tyki.

"Isn't there a faster way?" He asked, breath coming in harsh pants as they rounded yet another flight of stairs and raced down the hallway. Rhode made a noise in the negative, making Lavi curse under his breath.

They passed the open door to a room, and a movement caught Lavi's eye. Skidding to a stop just past the door and ignoring Rhode's startled cry, Lavi grabbed the edge of the doorway in his hand as he peered around the side of it.

"They're here!" He called back to Lulubell, not bothering to wait for her and instead rushing into the room. Without a moment of hesitation, Lavi ran towards the glass double doors leading to the balcony, gripping the slightly warm doorknobs in both hands and struggling to turn them. "It's locked." He breathed, eyes wide, his hands dropping to run feverishly through his hair.

"Not possible." Rhode said, her eyes watching the movement of the two men fighting on the floor. "It's never locked- - -try it again, please." Lavi placed his hands back on the gold doorknobs, only to draw his hands back with a pained whimper as the door blistered his hands. "Lavi!" Rhode screamed suddenly, sounding excited, making the red head's gaze snap up to see Tyki pick up the closest sword to him; he watched, Lulubell around his ankles and Rhode on his shoulder, all three watching as Tyki walked over to the dazed Adam, the man's hat having flown over the rail when Tyki kicked him.

They all held their breath as the master of the castle raised the sword slowly, only to drop it and stagger backwards. For a few stunned seconds, nobody moved. It wasn't until Tyki fell that it sunk in- - -he'd been stabbed.

Lavi grabbed onto the nearly white-hot door again, ignoring the burning pain that now accompanied it, trying to force the door open. Rhode was screaming in his ear, fueling Lavi's anxiety and determination to get out of the castle and onto the balcony. Lulubell had vanished, leaving Lavi and Rhode to figure out a way to get on the balcony alone.

The glass just beside Lavi shattered, causing him to cry out and release the doorknobs (to his relief- - -already, his palms and fingers were bright red with burns). Lulubell stood just outside the door, back arched and her gold eyes narrowed, mouth open in a hiss. Lavi moved instinctively, ignoring the shards of glass stuck in the door that scratched him as he moved through the space Lulubell created.

"Don't come any closer!" Adam snarled, holding his hand out; dark energy began growing around his outstretched palm. They froze for a brief moment before a strangled groan brought their attention to Tyki, pulling the dagger from his stomach.

"Uncle Tyki!" Rhode cried; Lavi followed her unspoken instruction, running towards the fallen master and slipping to his knees just beside him.

"Tyki!" He gasped, gently lifting the man's head in his hands. Blood was pooling quickly around them, staining the bottom of Lavi's pants, but the red head ignored it in favor of trying to gain any type of response from the unconscious man in his arms. When Tyki didn't answer, didn't move at all, Lavi choked back a cry and raised his emerald eyes to Adam. Removing his hand from his head and slowly adding more dark matter into the growing darkness in his hands, Adam held his arm out in a mock bow.

"And thus, the monster is slain." He said firmly, a smug tone in his voice. "And to think, it didn't take much at all. Just a simple knife to the stomach." His golden eyes, normally hidden, met Lavi's emerald. "Perhaps he was more human than we think? That may be your fault, boy." Lavi glared at him, the tattoo around his normally covered eye making his expression even fiercer than it would have been otherwise. His hands, after placing Tyki gently down on the ground once more, scrabbled on the ground; finding the largest shard of glass he could find, Lavi slowly got to his feet.

Taking a step forward, Lavi's fist clenched around the shard, making the jagged edges cut into his burned palm and blood drip down his hand. Adam's eyes darted to the glass, his expression growing weary.

"You'd best heed me and stay back, boy." He said warningly, lifting his hands again. The dark matter around his hands seemed to grow faster in size, covering up to the man's elbows. Electricity gathered in random sparks around the dark matter, sparking and creating a flash of light against his face. "If you know what's good for you, you'd stay with that damned monster and you would not- - -"

With a loud yell, Lavi ignored everything that was coming out of the other man's mouth and threw the glass shard at Adam, forcing the man to cry out instinctively and cover his face with his arms. While he was distracted, the dark magic around his hands vanished and Lavi swooped down, picking up Tyki's abandoned sword and swinging wildly. Adam let out another cry when one of Lavi's swings connected, slicing his forearm and gushing blood from the wound.

Snarling, Adam kicked Lavi in the stomach, forcing the red head back with a grunt. Adam reached for him, the dark energy coming back. Rhode screamed when Adam forced Lavi back, picking up his own sword to fight the red head properly.

"You have no idea what you're interfering with, boy!" He snapped at him, swinging the sword one way; Lavi blocked it, leaving his side open to the attack of dark matter Adam had on his free hand. The matter crackled against Lavi's side, burning through his clothes and forcing him to choke back a cry. Freeing his sword, Lavi stumbled back and touched his burned side gingerly, wincing and letting out a pained hiss when his fingertips made contact with something warm and wet.

Blood.

Lavi looked at the blood on his fingertips and felt something inside him snap. With an enraged yell, Lavi raised the sword again and rushed at Adam. The other magician smirked and defended himself with a high skill that didn't allow Lavi to get in even one hit. Rhode was screaming at Lavi, trying to get to him to stop. Lavi was ignoring her, using his emotions to fight: his anger at the man for injuring Tyki, his frustration with himself for all but leading them to the castle, his annoyance with his inability to have been able to protect the castle and its inhabitants from the horrible man he was fighting.

He fought blindly, not thinking about anything but which direction he would send the edge of the blade next. Adam was laughing, encouraging him by egging him on, but exactly what he was saying, Lavi couldn't later repeat if his life depended on it; he used the sound to his advantage, using it as a method of where to strike next, as the man kept up a near-constant state of chatter that was edging on annoying.

A missed swing connected greatly with the edge of the railing, the amount of forced Lavi put into the strike making the edge of the blade sink into the stone railing; a small chunk broke off and fell to the ground below. Lavi grunted, trying to pull the sword out, and Adam took the distraction as an opportunity- - -using his sword, he trapped Lavi in place, coming far too close, his grin a permanent fixture on his face.

"Game over, boy." He snarled quietly. "You're finished."

"Not quite." Lavi panted; in a second, he had Adam on his knees, free hand over his stomach. The red head had lifted his leg and kneed Adam in the stomach so hard, it made the older man fall to catch his breath. Lavi didn't wait for him to catch his breath. Kicking the sword in Adam's lax grip out of his hand, Lavi grabbed the taller man by the back of his shirt, one hand on the dark collar and the other bunched in the material around Adam's lower back, picked him up as best he could, and threw him head first over the edge of the balcony. Rhode screamed even louder, but Adam had grabbed the back of Lavi's shirt as he had gone over, nearly forcing the red head down after him.

Lavi grunted, forcing himself back and out of Adam's reach. The man, one hand on the rail tightly, hung in a free fall for a brief moment before his foot found a small foothold just under the balcony. Grinning widely, Adam managed to regain a tight grip on the broken rail. Scowling, Lavi moved towards him again, ready to just be done with the man that had started all this mess, when- - -

"Stop!" The shrill scream came from the small teacup, effectively stopping Lavi from doing anything more. They both turned to her, Lavi's face and entire body seeming to crumple under the weight of what he had been about to do, Adam's entire countenance seeming to light up when his gaze fell on the young teacup. "Lavi, please." She pleaded, unable to do anything in her current form. "He won't stop bleeding...please..." Lavi looked torn, glancing between Adam holding on and Tyki on the ground; after a few moments the sword dropped from his hand, Lavi turning away from Adam and rushing towards Tyki. Rhode let out a sob that was half laugh, half sob as he returned to their sides, Lavi gently lifting Tyki's head and placing his head in his lap.

"He hasn't woken?" He asked quietly. Rhode shook negatively, and a tear slipped down Lavi's face. "Tyki, please."

"Little Rhode..." Rhode froze, her violet eyes widening in shock and horror when the voice of the Millennium Earl rang through her ears.

"Lord Millennium?" She breathed uneasily; Lavi ignored her, pulling the dagger out completely and putting his hand on the wound to stop the bleeding.

"My favorite little girl." Breath coming in fast gasps, Rhode turned slowly, looking for the direction the voice was coming from. "My bravest, most sadistic child..."

"Where are you?" She whimpered, scared. A laugh behind her had her spinning around again, bringing her closer and closer to the rail. "Lord Millennium, where are you?"

"I'm here, Little Rhode. Come help your master, will you?"

"I can't help if I can't see you." Rhode responded shakily, twisting and turning trying to find the man who had ruled the castle previously. "Where are you, Lord Millennium?"

"Turn around, my dear."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jasdevi let out a victory yell as they threw the last man standing through a glass window, spinning and throwing a fist in the air.

"We've won!" They cried, to the amusement of the remaining fighters. Miranda smiled tiredly, leaning against the wall heavily; Krory stood nervously beside her, using the rail to the stairs as his means of balance. Kanda was using the kitchen knife to balance, his eyes slowly opening and closing with fatigue- - -it had been far too long since he had to use his skills in a sword fight, meaning that once he was fully human without any chance of having to turn into a damn clock come sunrise, he would have to train hard to regain his lost skills.

Allen looked around worriedly- - -despite the lowered candle wax and the deformed candle arm was twisted oddly (the latter more likely to cause pain when he turned human than the former), he seemed no worse for wear other than the slightly confused, worried look on his face.

"Where is Mimi?" He asked. "And what happened to Skinn? He never- - -" Allen's voice was buried under the cheers of the workers. Jasdevi cackled, their arms outstretched as the spun around in wild circles, singing loudly, something about twins and cradles. Miranda had stopped her near-constant trembling and was smiling widely, seeming to take pleasure in congratulating others on their fighting skills and blushing violently when they brought up her own strength. Krory was dancing animatedly, yet oddly, around the hall, mindful of the small objects below him as he beamed happily. The gardeners were cheering loudly, the activated Komurin Johnny was operating moving to its original resting spot outside. Realizing with a sigh and fond smile that no one was going to answer anything at the moment, Allen moved towards the front door, ready to call Skinn down from the main entrance way.

A loud crashing noise, the sound of someone hitting the pavement outside, interrupted their impromptu little party. Glancing at each other with wide, weary gazes, Jasdevi was the first to move in the direction of the opened front door; despite their carefree attitude a few minutes prior, their entire body was tensed and ready to fight if they needed to.

"Nothing here." They murmured curiously, glancing in both directions. Glancing back at Allen, they sent a silent message- - -_we'll go see what it was, but it's unlikely that anyone has come back_- - -Allen nodded, smiling up at Miranda when she approached him. Shrugging carelessly and still singing under their breath, Jasdevi moved to their right and looked around carefully, not willing to be taken by surprise. After a few moments, they turned, shrugged- - -

And jumped back with a startled yelp at the stern face glaring up at them from the ground. They stood still for a moment, then placed a hand mockingly over their heart.

"Not cool, not cool." They chatted playfully, shaking their head. "You really scared us, Skinn, that wasn't fair." When Skinn didn't answer, Jasdevi frowned and knelt down beside the scattered stones on the floor, giving the guardian a confused look. "This isn't funny, Skinn. It's not, it's not. Knock it off now- - -yea, knock it off, knock it off. Stop it!" Their voice raised, wavering more and more on each word. "Get up, you jerk! Stop messing around- - -stop it, stop it!"

They pushed the stone face glaring up at them, and it scraped against the ground beneath it as it moved, leaving impressions in dark liquid before the lines left were filled. Recognizing the blood for what it was, Jasdevi stood and fully took in their surroundings- - -the crimson liquid, black in the night, spilled half way up the wall and halfway down the path beside the house; a tall, pale, twisted remains of what had been the man who must have led the charge into their house mangled on the ground from impact, the center of the pooling blood; stones of all shapes and sizes half covered in blood, shattered irreparably and spread further than the blood itself; the most complete piece of stone, the only way to identify what it had been before meeting its shattered end- - -the face they had just kicked away from them.

Shaking violently, Jasdevi dropped to their knees, reaching for the blood-covered pieces with trembling hands.

"No, no, no no no no no no no..." They moaned brokenly, ignoring the crimson liquid staining the stone on their own hands as they tried, futilely, to piece the pieces together again. Their knees were pressed hard against the ground, blood slowly soaking into the stone. Jasdevi ignored that as well, scrambling for random stone pieces on the ground and tried to force them together. "No, no no no nonononononononono- - -" Their shaking grew worse the more they denied it, their eyes widening in pain and fury; the sudden sound of stone against the floor forced them to their feet, leaning back against the blood covered wall as rage took a precedence over everything else. "NONONONONO!" With a loud, rage filled cry, Jasdevi picked up the fallen male a few feet away, using their hair to inflict more injuries on the corpse that had taken their playmate.

Arms wrapped around them, restraining them as they fought to get free for a few seconds before falling limply into the other's arms.

"There, that's better." Came a murmured voice from above them- - -Krory. Of course; who else was strong enough to restrain them in the castle. The fight completely gone out of the combined duo, Jasdevi allowed Krory to take them back into the castle. The light from the hallway turned the black liquid coating Jasdevi's hands crimson again, making the previously cheerful mood somber instantly, everyone gasping in shock at the blood on their hands and knees. There was a stunned silence before Krory spoke again, his voice loud enough to carry across the castle hallway they were in, his voice wavering. "It's Skinn. He's..." Jasdevi felt him shrug helplessly.

"He's what?" Allen asked quietly, moving forward, the deformed candleholder twisted awkwardly and swinging a bit from the motion. Krory shrugged again, an almost helpless, frantic gesture. He had never been overly fond of the Noah guardian when he had first met him, and while the two years of constant contact with the other male had brought them closer together in an odd way, Krory still hadn't been sure what to make of him.

It stung surprisingly, the fact that Skinn had crumpled on the ground, coated in some strange man's blood.

"There's someone there, too, some man." Krory explained quickly, grip tightening on Jasdevi's shoulder. He could feel his throat closing up; as Skinn had told him once before, he cared too much and too quickly about the people around him. The thought of Skinn made his throat close even faster. "I'm not quite sure what happened, honestly, I- - -"

"Just tell us what happened, dammit." Kanda snapped.

"Skinn is in pieces on the ground outside." Krory spit out finally. The entire group froze for a moment before splitting into two groups, heading in different directions; Reever and the gardeners, already half-way out of the castle,, Miranda, and the rest of the castle's inhabitants flew out the door, rushing to see the guardian that had protected them for two years.

Allen, Kanda, Komui, and Lenalee raced up the stairs in a panic, their minds racing at the possibilities running through their minds. The fact that Skinn was more than likely dead (any injuries gained while in their object form didn't hurt until they transformed into a human once more; the fact that Skinn was so damaged he wasn't able to move around as normal was worrying) was made worse by the fact that Mimi was missing, and the strange man who had been apparently splattered along the floor and castle wall had gone after Tyki and hadn't yet returned, and the fact that even though Lavi was back, it didn't necessarily mean the spell would be broken tonight.

They skid to a stop when they heard Lulubell's constant mewling from one of the rooms. Sharing worried, and a blank raised eyebrow in Kanda's case, looks, they stormed into the room to find Lavi on the ground on the balcony, Rhode seemingly frozen by the railing on the edge, the topmost part of it broken and missing.

"Lulubell, what happened?" The black cat looked at Allen with calculating golden eyes before mewling again and darting onto the balcony. They watched, stunned, then moved to follow after her, only to come to a stop when they were shocked.

"What the hell was that?" Kanda snapped, glaring at the door that had just sent a current of electricity through them all.

"Something doesn't want us to get through." Allen breathed in confusion. "But what? Why wouldn't we be able to get through?" A quick glance at Komui and Lenalee showed that neither had any idea; Allen closed his eyes, thinking hard.

Clearly, they weren't meant to interfere with what was about to happen on the balcony in any way, though how they would was questionable. Lavi seemed to be crumpled by Tyki, both covered in blood that appeared to be more Tyki's than Lavi's. Rhode was almost frozen by the rail on the edge of the balcony; Lulubell was slowly approaching the small teacup.

Why had Lulubell been allowed, but not them? Who had been strong enough to destroy Skinn Bolic, by far the biggest and heaviest of them all?

What was going on?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhode turned and came face to face with Adam.

"I'm here, Little Rhode." The man said slowly, his lips parting in a wide grin. The girl stared at him with wide eyes, unable to truly comprehend just who was standing before her at the moment. His grin widened impossibly, and he leaned forward, placing more of his weight on the broken railing dividing him from a stable ground, his grasp firm despite the blood on his fingertips making his grip weak. "I know who you are, darling. Don't you remember your Lord Millennium?" His eyes flashed and she gasped.

"I can't believe it." Rhode gasped faintly, hopping towards the man who once doted on her like a beloved grandchild, the magician who haunted her dreams and was the star of her nightmares. She searched his face, but was unable to find anything that would link this man to her last image of the Millennium Earl in her mind aside from the glinting gold eyes he had. "Is it really you, Lord Millennium?"

"Of course child!" His smile turned wicked in an instant, and Rhode felt a spark of recognition (even with a different form, the Millennium Earl's smile was the same; it was still as frightening as she remembered it). "I know what you want, Little Rhode, and I can make it happen for you- - -you always were my favorite." He freed one hand, the one not covered in an almost obscene amount of blood due to getting his arm sliced up and continuing to fight, and waved in her general area. The result was that he nearly slipped, having to return his grip to the railing instantly to ensure his current survival. "Hevlaska didn't take all of my powers that night, and they've been slowly returning. Observe."

A light surrounded Rhode, dark and deep, hiding her from sight for a few moments before clearing away as if it were nothing but mere smoke. In the teacup's place stood the human form of Rhode Kamelot, completely free of any magical concealment for this first time in two years. Her dark blue hair, much longer than the first time she had transformed, fell midway to her back, away from her tanned skin and revealing the crosses tattooed onto her forehead; and her outfit, a pale pink frilly shirt and a black skirt falling to her mid thigh, was dirty and slightly torn in some areas. She had also grown considerably, the realization making her flush darkly- - -she was too tall for the skirt that had previously fallen closer to her knees. Not only that, the buttons of her shirt around her chest area bulged slightly under the force her new-found breasts created; the outfit, fitting her perfectly at twelve, was far too small on her at fourteen years of age. With her added height and growth, she almost appeared to be playing the part of a young girl.

Despite this, Rhode gaped at her new, never-before-seen human features; for a moment, she had forgotten about everything else, and she focused on how good it felt to be her normal, true self again after so long. Moving her fingers around slowly and inspecting the way they moved, twisting her wrists and elbows and joints, Rhode couldn't remember ever being happier to see herself in her human form. Shockingly enough, she was even happy with the new, almost uncomfortable weight on her chest that appeared (seemingly) overnight. She giggled, spinning in a circle (and secretly eyeing the way her new chest bounced with the motions she created- - -she hadn't given much thought to her development, and didn't think ahead enough to wear any type of undershirt, really) until the man claiming to be the Millennium Earl cleared his throat pointedly. She stopped, placing her hands behind her back as she mock curtsied, her chest making her tip forward a bit more than she usually did- - -for having just gotten them, really, they seemed so much bigger and heavier than she thought they should feel.

"Thank you for returning me to my natural form." She grinned, feeling pleased with herself at her discovery. While being perpetually stuck in a twelve year old's body was an interesting experience, it certainly wasn't anything any girl would wish for herself, and Rhode was pleased to see how well she had outgrown herself. "What do you want in return?"

"Help me up, Rhode." He said, holding his blood-soaked hand out to her. "I need to end this once and for all." Rhode tilted her head to the side, taking a step back, suddenly suspicious of the man and his intentions as his eyes darkened in anger and hatred; they weren't focused on her, but rather on the crumpled heap that represented her beloved Uncle Tyki injured on the ground, and on the red head who seemed to be failing at coaxing him back to consciousness. Underneath his feet, the fragile stone of the castle began to finally give way under his weight, despite the apparent thinness of the man.

"End it how?" She asked curiously, gold eyes narrowing. Her fingers twisted almost uneasily with each other for a moment before she played with the edge of her shirt- - -a nervous habit she had somehow managed to pick up from Miranda in the few short moments the younger girl spent with the older servant; the man smiled, waving his free arm in the direction of the castle.

"Your Uncle Tyki is no longer fit for the Noah family." He started. "I'm afraid to say that he's lost the drive and skill to do the possible tasks I would assign him, and that simply would not do at all. What kind of message would I send if I allowed even one of my beloved family members to slack off, hmm?" The stone quivered, and he grasped onto the rail with both hands until the movement stopped. Despite his relative safety when it came to his precarious foothold and the breaking railing, the Millennium Earl seemed unwilling to release the slowly crumbling stone again. "First order of business is to take care of the loose ends, darling. Then I will return us to our human shapes." Rhode took another step back, her distrust in the man growing. If this was the Millennium Earl- - -and she was slowly beginning to understand everything, the entire situation falling into place and the chances of this man being her former ruler increasing with each passing second- - -then his form of 'taking care of the loose ends' would occur in a rather messy way that she knew she would regret later.

"By 'us', you mean just our family." She said slowly. The Earl nodded, holding his hand out once more to the girl. Rhode took another step back, her gaze catching on Lenalee and Lulubell inside the castle, both girls looking worriedly over the scenes playing out before them but unable to move any closer. "What about Lenalee and all the other servants?"

"We'll get new toys to play with." He said. "Come, help your loving master out, Rhode." Her eyes snapped to his at the term- - -'loving' was certainly not any way she would describe him at all, not even during her first year alone in the castle with only Tyki and Lulubell to turn to. The fact that he automatically assumed she would remain loyal after two years made her weary and uncertain. Her thoughts battled with each other ('_he would save me, I have always been his favorite_' '_but what of everyone else? Lulubell, Skinn, and Jasdevi certainly wouldn't return to the Earl, not now that they know what it's like to be free from him. What about Lenalee?_'), and as she thought, the stone gave way even more; the only way he could stay alive at the moment was by holding tightly to the rail, and hoping that the young girl (one who was slowly becoming a young woman) would offer her hand and pull him up. Rhode looked at him, giving him a long once over, before glancing over her shoulder; Lavi seemed to have woken Tyki, as the boy yelled something frantically, almost victoriously, and began speaking in frightened, relieved tones to the fallen monster. "Quickly now, Rhode!" Her head snapped back to him, weighing the pros and cons of each situation in her mind as quickly as she could, picking up where her last train of thought dropped.

Saving this man could prove to be beneficial. She and her family would be human again, and she could always ask the Earl to change all the servants back, so long as they were all kept under a somewhat tight leash. Though not one hundred percent positive, Rhode was sure that she could get the rest of her family to rejoin the Millennium Earl's rule once more, and everything would pick up where Hevlaska had interrupted two years previous. If not...well, surely she could keep the Millennium Earl from killing her entire makeshift family and the rest of her friends. She was, after all, the favorite and could get what she wanted with a small smile and innocent eyes.

On the other hand, she loved her Uncle Tyki dearly, and didn't want him hurt in any way. This man had begun the fight by seeking out her uncle with an intent to kill, even though Tyki did nothing to provoke the attack and had been mostly on the defensive side the entire time during the fight. He had stabbed Tyki with a hidden dagger, and now her favorite uncle lay fatally wounded, more likely than not dying, in the arms of a skilled liar. He had even promised to finish Tyki off just now, his meaning perfectly clear: he would kill Tyki, probably in the most brutal and painful way as revenge for stepping into what he saw as 'his' position in the family, and most likely Lavi/Darryl/whoever-the-hell-he-was as well, either because the red head had tried to help him or simply because the boy happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And though at the moment she could care less about what happened to the red headed liar, Rhode knew that if Tyki managed to survive, he would be completely miserable without Lavi there with him. He was already miserable, and that was with the red head gone for a total of barely eighteen hours; Rhode shuddered to think of how bad her uncle would be if Lavi died.

Because, human or not, liar though he was, Lavi helped Tyki forget the situation they found themselves in, and Rhode had a hard time denying anything that made her uncle Tyki Mikk so happy.

And besides that...

"Rhode, darling, help me up!"

Among all of them, her family and the servants included, Lenalee was the one who would be the most reluctant to go back to the Millennium Earl's heartless ruling. The girl had been with the Millennium Earl before he ever found his way to this castle, which meant she had worked inside the castle the longest: her mother, lost and uncertain which way to go, with only a two year old girl in her arms, had been forced into a deal Rhode was sure the woman regretted ever since- - -in payment for a night spent warm, dry, and well-fed, as well as a horse and guide for the next day, the woman had left behind her baby to the Earl. She'd had no choice; it had been she take the better offer, mentioned above, or she'd be killed by the Millennium Earl. As it was, Komui had been left alone with a neighbor, as their father had been both long gone and forgotten, and she couldn't abandon both her children at once. At least this way, she would know Lenalee would be somewhat taken care of and that Komui would be tended to by her, rather than just leaving the poor boy to grow up defenseless and in the streets. Lenalee had lived with the cold, harsh man ever since, something which translated into becoming the chef of the kitchens when the Millennium Earl took over, though she had changed more significantly in the two years she lived in without fear of the cold ruler before Rhode than the young teen had ever seen before. The older servant girl was more open and forthcoming about her opinions, her gaze kinder and less frightened.

If the Millennium Earl came back, the return of his harsh rule would break Lenalee long before he did; Rhode found that despite his certainty of her loyalty to him, she couldn't risk losing Lenalee in any way.

Decision made, Rhode approached the rail, peering over at the human that was the Millennium Earl.

"I don't want new servants." She started softly, her voice cold. The man's eyes widened, but he couldn't do much if he wanted to live. As it was, his life hung precariously on the edge, literally, and with Rhode sounding as upset as she did, there was no way he'd risk angering her any further. "I don't want Uncle Tyki or Lavi, or anyone else in this castle to die. These people are my friends and family, Lord Millennium, and the one lesson I have ever learned from you, the only thing you ever drilled in us constantly, was that family comes first!" She spat furiously, placing as much scorn as she could on the man's previous title before continuing, "And I refuse to be the reason everyone else stays enchanted objects while the Noah roam freely as human being once more!" Rhode placed her hands beside the ones the Earl was using to stay up. Underneath him, the precious ledge he had found to support his weight finally broke, meaning that the only thing keeping him up was his tight grip on the rails. Smirking in her old twisted, sadistic manner and leaning down as far as she could, Rhode looked directly into the eyes of her former master and tormentor. "Farewell, Lord Millennium."

With that, she moved her hands on top of his, pushing him off the railing. His gold eyes, the only true remnants of his time as the Millennium Earl, glared into hers hatefully as he plummeted to the earth below. Rhode gasped as the smoke returned briefly and she shrunk back into a teacup, the enchantment returning full-force to her body as soon as the man who represented the start of a waking nightmare hit the cold ground below.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi shook Tyki gently, his eyes wide with terror. No matter what he did, he couldn't seem to get the man to regain consciousness, and the blood, while slowing considerably, wasn't stopping; it trickled steadily from between the red head's fingers, ensuring Tyki's ability to die if they didn't manage to stop the flow of crimson liquid soon.

"Tyki!" He cried out, shaking him a bit more roughly than he had intended to. Wincing apologetically when Tyki groaned in pain, Lavi brushed trembling fingers through the other's wild, wavy hair as an apology. "Tyki, please, wake up."

Behind him, Lulubell peered around the doorway curiously, her gaze moving from where the red head had approached her fallen brother to where the man he had just pushed over the edge of the railing had hung; she carefully stepped out onto the balcony, caring about as much as Lavi was about the broken glass littered on the surface of the floor as she made her way over to the young teacup who had been able to accomplish the one thing everyone wished for: the death of the Millennium Earl. By nudging the teacup gently, Lulubell moved the younger girl by the door, more mindful of the broken glass beneath them now that he niece was with her. Lenalee, Allen, Kanda, and Komui were behind her, trying to follow her out and sharing a worried look when they couldn't get past the doors of the balcony. Allen leaned on Kanda, and Komui had a hand on Lenalee's shoulders as they all watched Lavi try and wake their master.

"Tyki!" Lavi tried, jostling him enough to not hurt him. "Tyki, please! Open your eyes- - -please, Tyki!" Tyki moaned in pain and finally opened his eyes slightly, the gold eyes moving around the area before landing on Lavi's tear stained face.

"Ah, what a lovely sight." He murmured softly, weakly, as blood continued its slow but steady journey outwards. Lavi attempted a smile, the relief on his face enough to understand even through the strained expression, but it fell when Tyki groaned in pain as he tried to nuzzle into Lavi's middle. "I did not think that you would come back, Lavi." Lavi managed a dry laugh at that.

"Of course I would come back." He whispered. After a moment's hesitation, his voice choked up and cracked during his next sentence, the words audible only to Tyki Mikk himself. "I love you, idiot." Tyki smirked a bit, his eyes falling shut again when a harsh spike of pain radiated from the wound on his stomach.

"I..." Tyki coughed harshly, blood coming from his lips. Behind him, Lavi heard the movement of people behind him, heard them crying in protest at their inability to get through and help in any way they could, but he ignored it in favor of Tyki. His emerald eyes were locked onto the fallen creature, worry and fear etched into the visible orbs. "I suppose 'too late' is possible."

"Tyki...?" Lavi felt his breath hitch when half opened gold eyes met his.

"I love you...as well, Lavi." Lavi felt his heart clench as Tyki's eye started sliding shut again. The tattoo around his eye glowed softly, the rose andTease doing the same from the corner of Tyki's bedroom, but he ignored it as well, his entire focus on trying to keep Tyki awake.

"Don't you dare!" He hissed angrily, tears falling at a faster pace now that their confessions were out in the open. "Don't you dare drop that on me and then just die, asshole!" Tyki managed a faint laugh, pain crossing his face, but Lavi shook him slightly to get him to open his eyes. The thought of something horrible and yet wonderful passed through his mind- - -_pain! Pain is good, yes, pain is wonderful, if he can feel pain then he's still with me, he's still alive_- - - and Lavi shook him again, careful not to injure him too much more. "I'm serious! Don't you even think about leaving me alone in this. Wake up, you bastard! You can't do this to me!"

"I'm...sorry..." Tyki breathed out quietly, his eyes closing again. Lavi frowned slightly, shaking him again, but this time there was no response from the master of the castle. Frantic, and realizing belatedly that the blood flow had finally stopped, Lavi shook his head and began hyperventilating.

"No...Tyki, no..." When no response was forthcoming, Lavi felt his shoulders slump, his head falling forward as his tears began free falling down his face. "Don't do this to me..."

From the side, Rhode bowed her head, tears in her eyes. She had allowed the Millennium Earl to fall, had pushed him over the edge so that she could help everyone out, and it was all in vain? Would she have been better off allowing the power-mad ruler to live, knowing that he could have turned her and whomever she wanted to save back into their changed, but original forms? They were stuck now, stuck in these semi-useless forms, with no chance at all at being saved; not even Hevlaska herself would be able to change them back, seeing as how the whole mess started with her wanting to teach Tyki Mikk a lesson. One her uncle had learned, surely, but with his current condition, it was almost impossible to prove it to the ethereal goddess. Not knowing what else to do, thoughts a jumbled mess in her head, Rhode allowed her tears to fall silently down her face.

"It seems," came an inhuman voice, and everyone turned to see Hevlaska standing in the ruined doorway leading to the room, "that my lesson was better learned than I had planned it to be." The woman walked towards Tyki and Lavi slowly, her steps soft and sure despite her inability to see and the glass shards on the ground. As she did, the magic wore off of the objects of the castle completely, allowing them the freedom they haven't had in two years, even with the evenings they had been able to turn human.

Kanda grunted as he regained his true human form fully, stumbling around slightly as if he was unused to being his normal height. He had smudges of dirt on his face and hands from the fight; his clothes, a dark button up shirt and loose fitting pants, were covered in dirt and torn slightly at the sleeves. His hair, devoid of its usual ponytail, was longer and more unkempt than it had ever been before.

Allen, standing the closest by the samurai, changed next, his silver hair falling past his shoulders as he coughed harshly into his hand. His gloves, which had never left his hands before this night, were gone completely, though some pieces of cloth remained in tatters around his wrist. His clothes, similar in color and style to Kanda's, were in a similar state of disarray, though Allen's clothes and lack of gloves gave the disadvantage of revealing what he normally tried to keep hidden: his left arm, shown in places where the material was too thin to stay together, was mangled and blackened by an unknown childhood trauma, with the added disadvantage of being twisted in an odd way it shouldn't normally- - -it had been broken in the fight. Allen self-consciously touched his left arm with his normal right hand, his left sending out jolts of pain that crossed his face every time he moved it, his silver eyes landing on Kanda just as the male glanced over at him.

Both boys looked at each other, memorizing the suddenly 'new' human features they had been looking for in one another for so long; though they had been turning human every night, they had still been enchanted by the goddess Hevlaska- - -she had allowed them to appear as human as they had been two years before. Most changes in appearance were hidden, though with the spell finally gone, they had been revealed completely in the moonlight. Though many were faint, as most are, the fact remained that (among other changes) Kanda's face and body had sharpened considerably somehow, and Allen's gentle countenance had become just that much harsher in the night. For a moment, both could only stare at each other, taking in the new differences; then Allen moved first, throwing himself into Kanda's arms with a barely hidden wince of pain and making them fall over in his excitement.

At the same time, Lenalee and Komui were holding onto each other tightly, Lenalee's head buried in her brother's neck as she cried. Her hair, so much longer than it had been before, had somehow managed to get cut unevenly off in the battle, so her hair was now shorter and messier than Rhode's had been before the whole mess started. The girl didn't notice, her attention focused on her brother holding her up as best he could.

Komui was moving them both back and forth, murmuring consolingly to her as she wept. He was taller than Lenalee, which made it easier to hold onto her, and wore the standard outfit of a castle gardener. Where Lenalee's hair had been cut off, Komui's hair had gotten only slightly longer. Glasses were perched on the older's nose, which he ignored when they began slipping down his face; at the current moment, his concern was that Lenalee's legs seemed to weaken slightly, which meant that the girl was only staying upright thanks to the tight hold her brother had on her.

Lulubell stood tall, her blonde hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, her expression as blank and stern as it had ever been. She was seemingly unaffected by the entire ordeal, the only way to get an insight to her thoughts was the way her dark eyes never left the red head and her fallen brother and the near-bruising grip she had on Rhode's shoulder, holding the girl tightly to her side. Her entire body was trembling slightly, and she appeared to be physically restraining herself from moving forward and helping the couple collapsed on the ground.

Rhode changed back to her human form as well, her hands going up a few seconds later to keep her long hair out of her eyes as she watched Hevlaska approach Lavi and Tyki. She leaned against Lulubell, tears falling quietly from her eyes as the Noah women silently comforted each other.

Lavi looked up at her, swallowing heavily when she stopped a few feet away from them.

"Please..." Lavi breathed quietly, not quite sure who she was but feeling she could help if she hadn't stopped, "Please help..."

Hevlaska close the distance between them, crouching down beside the two. She placed one glowing hand on Lavi's head, the weight firm but gentle against his skin. It spread a warmth through him from the point of contact, forcing his body to relax and begin healing. The other rested on Tyki's shoulder, surrounding him in a pale green glow that appeared to have more or less the same affect it had on Lavi, though she was mindful of the pain the male would surely be in, though most of her attention was focused on Lavi.

"You love him." It was more a statement than a question, but Lavi nodded once anyway. Hevlaska 'hmm'ed and bent down, touching her lips to where Tyki's forehead was. The light intensified, creeping up Lavi's arms as well, and the goddess before him smiled gently at him before removing her hand and pressing her fingertips gently against his eyelid. "Sleep." Hevlaska murmured gently. Lavi shook his head, leaning down and tightening his hold on Tyki. The sight made her stand and turn to address what castle members were there. "Everyone should rest now." She said as she stood slowly. "It's been a long, tiring day and a hard battle. You all deserve to rest."

Rhode slid slightly against the wall, Lulubell's arms once again coming around her shoulders instantly as she watched Hevlaska talk once again to Lavi, though she couldn't hear what was being said. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Komui struggling to keep Lenalee standing. He collapsed after a moment, making sure that he held on tightly to his younger sister as they both closed their eyes and drifted off. Beyond them, sprawled out in what had to be an uncomfortable position for at least one of them (Rhode almost wanted to say Kanda, because Allen weighed a bit more than he should due to the amount he normally ate, but the silver-haired boy was the one with the broken arm being thrown haphazardly along the ground), Kanda and Allen bickered softly in their usual way, the sound of their voices fading out as they fell asleep. Her own eyes slipped shut before opening again, her gaze moving tiredly around the area before closing once more. Rhode tried to open her eyes again, fighting against the oncoming sleepiness that had suddenly found her. Her legs gave out, which would have dropped her instantly had she not been leaning against the wall behind the shattered glass door, and if Lulubell had not been holding her as tightly as she was. As it was, she slipped down the wall, her butt meeting the ground gently as she tilted to the side. Somehow avoiding the glass littering the floor, though her head had been cushioned in its fall, Rhode managed to open her eyes one last time, taking in the blurred image of Lavi bent over a glowing Tyki.

Just before she passed out, Rhode watched as a strange light seemed to envelope her uncle and Lavi, expanding to take in the whole castle before darkness took complete control of her vision. 


	16. Finale A

Here it is, the awaited aftermath of the battle! Sorry it took so long, the only parts I had written were the parts with Rhode and Lavi, so there was a ton to write about. I hope you enjoy (and by the way, I decided that yes, I will write an epilogue, though I'm not too sure when that one will come out). XD thank you guys for reading (for all the silent readers I'm sure I have somewhere), reviewing, and alerting either me or my story. It means a lot to me, you have no idea how much reading your reviews make my day. Especially those of you who've stuck with me from the very first chapter. You guys are all amazing. XD

Read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 16

Rhode woke up in her bed, feeling strange. There was a strange type of energy thrumming just under her veins, making her feel warmer than usual. Sitting up slowly, Rhode inspected her hands; they were pale and slender, slightly longer than she remembered them, and shaking slightly with the amount of energy in them.

She slipped out of bed, her bare feet touching the floor beneath her bare for a split second before the walls in her bedroom melted into darkness. Eyes wide with surprise and slight fear, Rhode watched as brightly colored presents began lining the darkness that replaced her room. Feeling extremely nervous in the dark, Rhode shut her eyes tightly and wished that there was light with her in the room.

What surprised her was the spike of energy in her body as she wished it; almost instantly after that, a spark of light crossed her closed eyes, and Rhode tentatively cracked one eye open to see a floating candle by her face. It was sharp, the edge pointed and threatening despite the bright pink and white wax and the flickering light. Curious, Rhode reached out slowly and placed her hand under it, the space between her hand and the point disappearing until she was balancing the candle on her fingertip. The point pressed solidly into her flesh, but didn't break the skin, and Rhode stared at it in fascination.

With an interested look, Rhode used the thrumming magic in her veins and created more candles; they began popping up in various parts of the room she created, different colors of blue, red, green, pink with sharp points and white stripes. Getting excited, Rhode stretched out her arms and moved the candles around her in a circle, her new found energy spiking, before lining them up carefully along her outstretched arms. Smiling when she realized that she could control the candles, Rhode dropped her arms and lifted her hand slowly, finger outstretched. She focused, eyes narrowed, as the candles tilted on their sides and flew forward, embedding themselves in the edge of one of the brightly wrapped present. The wax dripped off the edge of the burning flame.

"This is amazing." She breathed happily, staring down at her hands in awe. "Oh, wow. How did this even happen?"

"It's a gift." A voice echoed, the sound repeating in the distance. Rhode twisted around, startled, summoning more candles almost as soon as she started turning.

Hevlaska stood calmly before her, hands folded in front of her, amusement in the air around her. Rhode smiled nervously, her fingers twisting amongst themselves. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Rhode held her left hand out and pulled the candles out of the box. She righted them slowly and dropped her hand back to the side, giving Hevlaska another smile.

"A gift?" She asked quietly, rubbing the top of one foot against the opposite calf. Despite the quietness of her voice, the sound still echoed. "A gift for what? How did I get it?"

"It's a special kind of power." Hevlaska approached Rhode, and the younger girl flinched automatically, remembering what happened the last time Hevlaska had approached a member of her family: Jasdevi had been turned to stone and all but anchored to one place for two years, her uncle had been turned into a creature the majority of people found terrifying, her entire friends and family cursed for two years. The goddess paused, her hand a foot away from Rhode, before smiling gently. "I'm not here to hurt you, you know." She said.

"Forgive me if I don't take your word for it." Rhode replied instantly; there was no venom in her voice, though, and her gaze never left the woman opposite her. "Where did this come from?"

"This place is full of magic." Hevlaska turned her head as if she was inspecting the room around her. "Before your...previous...ruler..." Hevlaska paused between words, still unsure of how to address the Millennium Earl, but continued nonetheless, "had come here, it flowed freely. Certain people were given certain powers, and everything was in balance."

"Balance?" Rhode asked looking down at her hands.

"The balance of the universe, which controls everything." Her quiet words washed over Rhode, who looked interested. "But when the Millennium Earl took over, he stopped the magic's flow and took it into himself to control, turning it dark and rendering it unusable to anyone but himself." Hevlaska reached out again, pressing her fingertips against Rhode's forehead. This time, Rhode allowed the goddess to touch her, her eyes closing against the small warmth against her head. "Had he not come, you and your family would have had these powers long ago."

"Which ones?" Rhode asked. Hevlaska removed her fingers, and Rhode opened her eyes to find the goddess holding a mirror in her hands.

"Look." Slightly nervous, Rhode looked at Hevlaska briefly before approaching her slowly. Hevlaska followed her movements by tilting the mirror so that Rhode could see inside.

Her hair was still the same shade of blue, albeit longer than she normally kept it; absentmindedly, Rhode pulled it back into a high ponytail to keep it out of her face. Her skin was gray, her eyes the familiar gold they hadn't been in far too long. Across her forehead, starting from where Hevlaska placed her fingers, seven crosses made their way across her forehead. Stunned by her appearance, Rhode slowly let her hair down and stared in awe at her reflection. Before her eyes, her skin faded and turned pale again, the crosses vanishing slowly and her left eye losing its gold color, turning the violet it had changed to when she had turned into a teacup.

"Does my family have these powers too?" She breathed in awe, her finger gently touching the corner of her gold eye as her skin grayed again. Hevlaska chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"Indeed." Raising her hand, Hevlaska dissolved the room Rhode created; the boxes melted away to her old room. "They don't all have the same abilities you do. Your abilities allow you to create a subconscious world, one where everything is as you want it. You are its creator, and you choose who can and cannot enter into it. It's a world where you can trap a person without ever leaving their room, where you can show them whatever you want. You are the Noah of Dreams."

"Dreams?" Rhode smiled. "How many others are there?"

"Admittedly, not many." Hevlaska said softly. "Many were here- - -Wisely, - - -but they were killed long before you had arrived, Rhode. The boys are the Noah's Bonds, your aunt Lulubell the Noah's Lust, Tyki the Pleasure Noah, and Allen is simply the fourteenth Noah."

"Allen's one of us?" Rhode asked excitedly, her eyes wide. "Really?" She spun around, giggling, before coming to a stop. "You...didn't mention Skinn." Hevlaska, turning to leave the girl to her fun, paused and turned with a soft 'hm?' Rhode frowned slightly. "Skinn. You didn't say which Noah he was."

The door opened after a quiet knock, and Hevlaska smiled a sad, mysterious smile.

"It's not my place to say." She said instead. "But rest assured, you'll learn soon." Rhode opened her mouth to question her, but Devitto stepped into the room, followed by Jasdero as always, and Hevlaska vanished.

"What is it, boys?" Rhode asked the two of them, noting their dark and gold eyes staring at the floor quietly. Realizing belatedly that something very serious was very wrong, Rhode wrapped her arms around the front of her nightdress, one hand grasping her shoulder while the other held onto her hip. A chill went through her body at their uncharacteristic silence. "What's wrong?"

"It's Skinn." Devitto said morosely. Jasdero mumbled under his breath, a finger playing with the stitches on his mouth. His free arm was draped over Devitto's shoulders, the blonde half-hanging off the other. After a silent moment, Devitto forced his dual eyes to Rhode's. Tears had filled them, but the boy was determined not to cry. "He's dead."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi jumped up suddenly, pushing the covers over his chest down to his waist. His eyes darted around the room, trying to place where he was.

"Calm down, Lavi." Came a voice to his right, and his head whipped in the direction it came from to come face to face with Bookman. The old man was looking him over, taking in his flushed face and gasping breaths, before his eyes met the emerald ones staring at him.

"Where..." Lavi cleared his throat and tried again. "How..."

"You want to know how..." Bookman hesitated slightly before finishing. "Tyki is doing." Lavi flushed even more, but kept eye contact, hoping the old man would tell him something. "He's healing." Bookman regarded Lavi once more. "Does this mean I can officially put Darryl to rest?"

Lavi blinked at him before looking down, his hands clenching in his lap as he thought.

He hadn't referred to himself as 'Darryl' in months; he had all but abandoned his former name, focusing instead on getting used to 'Lavi' while he was in the castle with Tyki and the rest of the group. Even now, with the opportunity to get rid of his name and get a new one- - -it had been too long since he last changed his name- - -he found that he wanted, for the first time, to be 'Lavi' a little bit longer.

"Yes." He said finally, moving his gaze up to Bookman's once more. "I am Lavi now." Bookman nodded once and stood.

"A young woman wished to speak with you." He said as he walked to the door. "She said it was of utmost importance, and that she wouldn't wait long in speaking with you." Lavi scrambled to sit up straighter as Bookman opened the door to reveal Rhode.

She had pulled her hair back, though several strands curled around her face. She was wearing a pink skirt and a white frilly shirt, the sleeves gathering in a bunch around her wrists, the frills on her shirt expanding because of her breasts. In her right arm was a bear, worn and patched, with button eyes, and in her other hand was a bright lollipop she was slowly eating. Her skin was pale under the light, though one of her eyes was a fierce shade of gold, the other a gentle violet. Both eyes were gleaming brightly due to unshed tears, rimmed red from crying.

"Thank you, Mr. Bookman." She said, her gaze never leaving Lavi, sitting in the bed. Bookman nodded once at the girl before he left, leaving Lavi alone with her.

Rhode waited until they couldn't hear Bookman's footsteps any longer before stepping into the room, turning to close the door behind her. The bear's face was somehow twisted to watch Lavi curiously as she did so.

"Is this him, Lero?" The question, though coming from Rhode's area, sounded nothing at all like the girl. Lavi jumped in surprise when the girl turned to him, eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yes, Lero." She said, the bear once again looking at Lavi. "This is him. What should I call you now?" Her question was directed at Lavi, her voice cold. She hadn't forgiven him for the lies he had used to create his persona yet, Lavi had known that, but to have her regard him so coldly and unfamiliarly sent a strange jolt of unease through his stomach.

"I said already that Lavi was fine, Rhode." Her eyes flashed.

"But that isn't your name, is it?" She asked, slowly stepping into the room until she was beside the foot of the bed. She looked him over, her arm tightening on the bear.

"He looks a mess, Lero!" Lavi blinked- - -the voice had come from Rhode's mouth, but the high pitched, scratchy quality of it sounded nothing like the girl's smooth voice. "Is Tyki sure of this, Lero?"

"I'm not sure." Rhode placed the lollipop in her mouth as she thought. There was several beats of silence until either spoke; Rhode was choosing her words carefully, and Lavi was unwilling to say anything, lest the younger girl before him add another reason to treat him coldly to her list. "You said to call you Lavi. But your name isn't truly Lavi, is it? You told us that was your name because you wanted to leave, right?" Her dual eyes met his and Lavi could see a carefully built wall in her eyes, her expression guarded. "Why would you come back when all you wanted was to leave?" It wasn't at all what the red head had been expecting (he certainly hadn't expected the younger to figure out his plan), so the answer wasn't one he was sure of. The question hung in the air between them as Lavi tried to get his thoughts in order enough for the girl to understand.

"I came back," Lavi said slowly, "because I knew I had to." Rhode opened her mouth, but Lavi spoke across her attempt to interrupt. "As soon as I had left, I wanted nothing more than to return here. You and Komui didn't have to come after me- - -I would have gone back on my own as soon as I could." Rhode seemed to accept his answer, her eyes studying the floor intently.

"You told us your name was Lavi to escape." She said. "Why didn't you correct us when you decided to stay?"

"Because 'Darryl' ceased to exist the longer I stayed here." Rhode's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and Lavi continued. "My name isn't Darryl either. I've changed my name so many times, even before I had met Bookman, so I don't even remember my real name."

"Why?" Rhode asked curiously. Lavi shrugged slightly.

"Bookman and I, we move around a lot." He explained. "And whenever we do, I change my name. New village, new persona, basically a new life everywhere I go." Rhode studied him intently before stretching her hand out and touching Lavi's forehead.

As she did, Lavi felt the world around him fall away, his room going dark as he felt more than saw his body hit his mattress.

When he opened his eyes again, Lavi was in a colorful room he had no recollection of ever seeing in the castle. It looked as though the room was covered in wrapping paper, and large presents decorated the floor of the room.

"Where..." Lavi gulped slightly. "Where am I?"

"Do you like it?" Rhode's cold voice echoed around him, and Lavi whirled around trying to place it, still hearing the 'like it, like it, like it...' fade away. "It's my dream world." There was a small sound, and a feeling of displaced air; Lavi turned to see an enormous heart shaped door before him. It opened slowly and Rhode walked in, still holding the stuffed bear in her arms, though it didn't seem to have any opinions to voice.

"How did you...?"

"It seems," she said in response to his unasked, unfinished question, "that Lord Millennium had too much power, too much for just one person." Her eyes met his as her skin darkened, turning gray, crosses appearing on her forehead. Her violet eye turned gold, both orbs shining brightly in the semi-darkness that surrounded. "It split when he died. We have two forms now- - -our 'Noah' family form, which is what I'm showing you now, and one that allows us to mingle better in villages and such, the form I had been in when I entered your room." She stepped towards one of the presents, keeping her gold eyes on Lavi. "I can control what is evidently referred to as Noah's Dreams."

"Dreams?" Lavi repeated. "So this is a dream?" Her eyes flashed.

"Not quite." A bright pink candle appeared just behind her, hiding her face even more, though her eyes shone even brighter; then several more, lighting up the dark room around them. Lavi looked around as candles popped up every few feet; it appeared that the dream world Rhode created was endless in any direction. Rhode's eyes never left him. "It is your subconscious. If I were to do anything to you here, like stab or burn you with one of my candles, then the injury would appear on your body."

"Are you going to stab me with a candle?" Lavi asked, trying to mask the fear he felt course through him at her words. It spiked when she didn't answer, merely lifted her hand so that the sharp point of a candle rested on her fingertip, studying him with narrowed gold eyes.

"I should." Rhode said slowly, tilting the candle so that the spiked edge aimed itself at Lavi. "It might make me feel better." Lavi's jaw dropped, and he kept his gaze wearily on the young girl. "Did you know that Skinn is dead?" Her voice thickened a little. Lavi bit his lip at the news; he hadn't known the guardian personally, but he was important enough for Rhode to be struggling to keep her composure while speaking with him. "He died trying to protect the castle, like always. He wouldn't have had to if you had not tried to leave us." Their gazes met, hers cold and unflinching, his wide and weary.

She sighed suddenly, righting the candle carelessly.

"No, I won't stab you with my candles." She waved her hand, and what looked like a golden throne with red cushions appeared. "I just wanted to talk without interruptions." Sprawling herself out so that her head rested on the cushioned arm on one side, her knees pressed against the arm of the other side and causing her legs to dangle over the edge, Rhode summoned another chair for Lavi. "Sit down, and let us talk."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Allen opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling of his room for a moment, trying to figure out where he was. The last thing he had remembered was seeing Lavi and Tyki, but he couldn't place what happened to him after that that would place him in his bed. Confused, and not quite sure what to do with himself, Allen rubbed his eye with his right hand and tried to push himself into a sitting position with his left.

The keyword is tried.

The arm wrapped around his waist tightened, pulling the silver-haired boy back down before he managed to get too far up. Feeling his head hit the pillow with a muffled cry, Allen waited a moment before trying again. Getting the same result, Allen huffed and turned his head to the side to see a sleeping Kanda beside him.

His breath caught; it had been far too long since he had last seen the samurai in the morning light. The sun, suddenly warm against his back, lit up Kanda's face, allowing Allen to see how pale the other was due to lack of sun, the darkness of his hair a stark contrast as his bangs fell against his forehead, strands of his hair crossing his face and, somehow, mixing with Allen's. Kanda looked relaxed in his sleep, the normal frown that took precedence when awake smoothed out and gone. His breathing was slow and steady, one arm tucked under the pillow as the other wrapped around Allen's waist, holding the silver-haired boy to himself. For a long moment, Allen allowed his silver eyes to trail over Kanda's relaxed face, taking in the differences of the sleeping male as the sun revealed them. With hesitant fingers, Allen moved the several dark strands of hair from Kanda's face, brushing them back behind Kanda before uncertainly resting his fingertips against Kanda's cheek.

"What are you doing, Moyashi?" Kanda asked without opening his eyes, making Allen jump and pull away from the Japanese man. Kanda cracked one cobalt eye open and studied the other boy before moving his arm to prop his head up. "What were you doing, Moyashi?"

"Nothing!" Allen squeaked out, flushing heavily. Kanda narrowed his eyes, then raked them slowly over Allen.

"I see your arms better." He said blankly, causing Allen to look down at it in confusion.

"Huh." He said slowly, sitting up again. Kanda let him this time, watching with as much amusement as he could muster at Allen's slightly awe-struck expression while the paler boy twisted his deformed arm in front of him, seeming unaware of the fact that for the first time in his life, Allen wasn't trying to hide the arm under clothes or blankets or anything. "It is better! Hevlaska must have healed me when she removed everything properly, then." His eyes shining happily, Allen turned and threw himself on Kanda again, a startled noise escaping the samurai's mouth as they fell back against the mattress. "I missed you." Allen mumbled against Kanda's throat, wrapping both arms around Kanda's shoulders.

Kanda snorted, his hands finding purchase on Allen's hips.

"You saw me the other night." Kanda shot back. "How could you have possibly missed me, idiot Moyashi?"

"I'm not a Moyashi!" Allen cried back, tightening his hold. "It's Allen, BaKanda! Allen! Al-len! Two syllables!" Kanda snorted again, his arms finally wrapping themselves fully around Allen's surprisingly small waist.

"Oi." He called when Allen wouldn't stop talking about the indignities of being called a bean sprout. "Oi!" Allen kept talking, listing all the things wrong with Kanda's nickname; Kanda placed his mouth by Allen's ear, his warm breath making the younger boy freeze and stop talking. Kanda smirked, knowing that Allen could feel the movement, and whispered "Shut up, Aren." He allowed his accent to come through as he spoke, something he never did, and Allen shivered.

"That isn't fair." Allen mumbled with a quiet laugh, shaking his head slowly. Kanda smirked, twisting around and knowing Allen would follow; he did, and they sat in silence.

"Allen!" There was a pounding on his door, and Allen groaned in annoyance, burying his face into Kanda's neck. "Allen, you need to get up now!"

"Go away, Lenalee!" He called back, mindful of Kanda laying next to him. His voice came out muffled, something Lenalee picked up on instantly.

"Is Kanda in there with you?" She demanded, pounding on the door even harder. "That's worse! Kanda, you know what time we're supposed to start our chores! Get up at once, both of you!"

"We'll be out, calm down." Kanda called, making Allen close his eyes. Lenalee seemed to agree; the pounding continued for a moment more, then stopped abruptly.

"Hurry up then!" She called. "We haven't got all day, you know!"

"In a moment, Lenalee." Kanda called back, pushing Allen hard enough that the silver haired boy fell out of bed and onto the floor with a loud thunk. Allen groaned in pain while Kanda sat up and stood gracefully, moving around the bed to look at the sprawled Allen with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing just laying there?"

"I hate you." Allen muttered, throwing his arm over his head, grunting when Kanda began throwing clothes at him.

"Just get dressed, Moyashi, before the crazy's sister comes back here and hauls us both out undressed."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Tyki." The man reached up to rub at his eyes and groaned in pain as the action pulled at his stomach. Lulubell's voice, as stoic and bland as ever, came again. "Little brother, wake up."

"What is it, Lulubell?" Tyki asked with a sigh, rubbing at his eyes. He cracked open a gold eye, tilting his head to look at his older sister.

She sat in the chair at his bedside, her hands folded primly on the blanket. Despite her empty voice, there was a small smile adorning her face. Her hair was pulled back like always, her bangs longer than normal and falling to the side of her her face. Her hair was still blonde, but streaks of black decorated her hair. She had a dark colored eye and a gold one, but both looked a mixture of relieved and amused.

"Congratulations, Tyki." She said. "It seems our spell has been broken."

Tyki grinned, placing his hand on the mattress and gasping in a mixture of pain and surprise when his hand sunk lower than was expected. Lulubell jumped, grabbing her brother's shoulder and carefully righting him again.

Surprised, Tyki stared at his slowly lightening hand in confusion.

"What was that?" He asked incredulously, flexing the appendage slowly. Lulubell shrugged carelessly, her movements more fluid than they had been before.

"This morning is full of surprises." She said almost carelessly, righting herself in her chair once she was sure Tyki wouldn't sink into the mattress again. "It's a strange kind of magic, I think. It feels old and powerful. It appears we've all got a portion of it." As if to prove her point, Lulubell went through a series of quick transformations: she turned to Rhode, to a familiar black cat, to an excited Allen before changing back. As he watched, fascinated, Tyki moved again to get up. Lulubell stopped instantly, her smile vanishing as she carefully watched how Tyki was sitting up with a pained groan. Confused, he looked down to find bandages spread out along his abdomen. "You had almost died." Lulubell explained quietly. "Hevlaska had just enough energy to pull you back from the brink of death, but she had none left to spare to heal you properly. You'll have to do that one on your own, I'm afraid."

"So long as I live, I find I don't mind." Tyki cleared his throat, leaning back against the pillows at Lulubell's urging. "Where is Lavi?"

"Rhode went to see him." Lulubell said absently. "She said something about the boy being too good a liar or something of that sort." A soft knock at the door captured both their attention; Lulubell seemed to know who it was. "Oh, that's right. The boy's guardian is here. He wishes to have a word with you, little brother." Standing, Lulubell quickly stepped over and pulled the door open, allowing an aged man who looked vaguely familiar in. Stepping outside, she turned to face them with a final instruction. "Sir, my brother is healing. I'd appreciate it if you'd not do anything to injure him further."

"Of course." He said easily. Her gaze moved to Tyki.

"Be nice." She warned him, closing the door. They sat in silence as her footsteps moved away from the door.

"I am Bookman." The old man started. "I took in Lavi when he was very young. Too young, I think, to have been traveling with me the way I was."

"So he told me." Tyki said carefully. Bookman chuckled wryly, shaking his head.

"Not everything." He said. Tyki tilted his head, curious, and the old man elaborated. "Did you know that before he came to this castle, his name was Darryl?" Tyki blinked, taken aback, but Bookman continued. "Before that, his name was Lucius, and before that it was Martin, and the time before that, I believe his name had been James." Bookman studied Tyki carefully before rattling off another list of names. "Kyle, Nicholas, Tyler, Seth, Alexander, Christopher, Ethan, Luke- - - almost every name of every letter in the alphabet. It had been a game started long before I had come across the boy, one I encouraged as he grew."

"But why?" Tyki asked curiously. Bookman shrugged helplessly.

"I don't have the faintest idea of what goes on in that boy's head." He admitted. "When we met, he told me his name was Alexander. A couple of boys in the town I found him in called him Harry. When we arrived in another town, he wanted to be called Frank. He was always creating names, always shedding his old identity when we left."

"So 'Lavi' is just another name he will abandon when he fancies it?" Tyki asked, making a slight face. A slightly odd feeling- - -betrayal, he realized with a slight twitch, he felt as though the red head had betrayed him, and rightly so; he had allowed him to be comfortable, had let him get too close under what seemed to be a false pretense- - -burned in his chest at the thought. "One to be used until he no longer wants it?"

"Contrarily, I believe Lavi is the name that will finally stay." Bookman said easily. "It's been months since you locked me in your dungeon and Lavi offered to stay in my place. Almost a year, correct?" Tyki nodded, and Bookman smiled, seemingly pleased. "That's the longest he's ever held onto a name, and he doesn't seem inclined to change it any time soon."

"How does he go about making any sort of attachments when he's always changing himself?" Tyki asked. Bookman looked at him with a raised eyebrow before snorting.

"The boy doesn't reinvent himself," He said quickly, in a way completely ignoring the question. "Merely changes his name. He's searching for something, that boy, and I believe he's found it here." Tyki opened his mouth, but the door opened and Lulubell stuck her head in.

"Mimi and several other servants are missing." She said quietly, attracting Tyki's attention instantly. "And we apparently have several bodies that need to be taken care of immediately."

"Where's Skinn? He will be of more help than I will. Get him to help you." Tyki asked with a frustrated sigh, rubbing his temples. He had far too much to think about without the added weight of the damages their home had sustained from the attack the night before. He noticed when Lulubell hesitated, something the woman never did, and the man met her gaze almost impatiently. "Lulubell, where is he?"

"He's one of the bodies that needs to be taken care of." Tyki stared at her a moment, the words not registering right away, before the meaning sunk in. He leaned back heavily against the headboard to his bed, rubbing at his temples and groaning slightly. A quiet sense of despair grew in his chest; they had banded together, supporting each other as best they could under the rule of the Millennium Earl, and even more in the past two years where they had to fend for themselves. That one of their number had been so easily lost, especially since the one that was lost was Skinn, was not easy to hold onto.

"What happened?" Lulubell averted her eyes at the question, the answer falling almost unwillingly from her lips.

"I think the man who had attacked you somehow managed to bring Skinn down with him." She said quietly. "How, I am uncertain. Perhaps we'll never know. But he managed." Tyki cursed quietly, slowly swinging his legs over the side of the bed to stand. Grimacing in pain, Tyki used the edge of the bed to pull himself towards the door.

"We need to meet in the dining room." He told the blonde woman. "Gather everyone and have them meet there for now. I'll be there shortly." Lulubell nodded once before turning and leaving the room as quickly as she could.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi had been about to knock on the door, Rhode by his side, when it opened; a tall, thin blonde-with-black-streaks haired woman all but flying out in her haste to leave.

Rhode and Lavi moved to make room for her to leave, a startled 'Lulubell!' making its way out of Rhode's throat. They shared a slightly confused look before the younger darted after her, her white nightdress fluttering around her ankles.

"They're going to have something of a meeting." Lavi turned slightly to look down at Bookman, who was staring after the two young women. "It appears that they have several casualties they had been previously unaware of."

"Really?" Lavi asked incredulously, looking after the two as well. The old man nodded, then turned to face the boy who had followed him for years.

"I do apologize for allowing you to be locked up." He said blankly, though Lavi could see the true regret buried in his voice. "It seemed like the best idea at the time. Not to keep you from returning," he added when Lavi shot Bookman a glare, "but to make it easier to get you out. If we both ended up in the same locked room, both of us would have been rendered useless. I had planned to get you out myself, but ended up detained by my promise to help the village." Lavi stared at the old man curiously, and after a moment his unspoken question was answered. "I believed you because of the conviction you had that we shouldn't come here. You aren't one to make such a strong argument unless you're one hundred percent convinced it's right." Lavi looked away. "How did you manage to escape?"

"Cross Marian and Froi Tiedoll." Lavi shrugged. Bookman nodded once, as if it made sense that the red head had been save by the town drunkard and an artist, and looked back into the space of the empty hallway.

A noise from behind the pair pulled Lavi's attention around one hundred and eighty degrees, coming face to face with a pale man, shoulder length brown hair, and brown and gold eyes. Staring almost speechlessly for a moment, Lavi almost couldn't help the startled 'YOU!' that burst from his throat.

He couldn't help his shock; this was the same man who had been sneaking into his room, who asked advice for a love interest, who had stolen a kiss from him to keep the red head quiet, who had appeared in the mirror beside Tyki when Lavi had tried to prove the other wasn't a monster.

It was an older version of the small child in the portrait Tyki showed him.

"Tyki...?" He whispered, awe-struck. It never occurred to him that it had been the castle's master the entire time; in fact, despite the enchantment (or more likely because of it), it never struck Lavi that they would all have human forms, that the magic surrounding them wasn't permanent. The taller male met his gaze squarely, lingering over his normally covered eye. Realizing belatedly that his eyepatch was in the hands of Cross Marian, damn him, Lavi smiled awkwardly and moved to cover his eye.

"Don't bother." The man said quietly, moving gingerly over and pulling the red head's hand away from his face. "You've no need for such disguises any longer." Lavi frowned, both at the tone and the quiet, subdued way Tyki spoke. The man appeared to have something on his mind, but Lavi wasn't quite sure what it was. He looked to Bookman for an answer, only to have something sink in his stomach when the older man refused to meet his gaze.

"What did Bookman tell you?" He asked quietly, his lower lip being worried between his teeth. Tyki glanced at him again, looking him over almost wearily, before the castle master shook his head.

"Later, perhaps." He told the red head. "We have an issue to address."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Why all the names?" Rhode asked, not looking at Lavi; her gaze was directed to an invisible spot above her, her hand making several candles spin idly in a circle around her hand. "What was wrong with yours?"

"I never knew mine." Lavi admitted quietly. "The first thing I can remember is sitting under a tarp, shielding myself as best I could from the rain. I have no knowledge of my mother, my father, anyone. I was a lost child in the streets of a busy town."

"As was I." Rhode turned her head slightly, violet eye examining him with a bored expression. "I've certainly never gone through names at the alarming rate you have. I've stuck with one- - -the one I liked, and made my own."

"Perhaps I couldn't find the right one." Lavi told her. She paused, considering, then drew her knees up to her chest.

"What's the first name you gave yourself?" She asked.

"Oedipus." Rhode snorted, giving him a slightly amused look, and Lavi shrugged, a light flush covering his face. "A young gentleman, can't recall who now, had taught me the basics of reading by reading iOedipus the King/i to me. I took his name, then changed it to Harry after a couple of months. After that, I met Bookman; told him my name was Alexander."

"Have you ever had the same name twice?" Lavi shook his head.

"Not even variations of the same name." Rhode smiled, amused, and sat up fully to take in the red head.

"How is that even possible?" She asked.

"You would be surprised at how many names are in the world when you begin reading, Rhode." Lavi smiled back; they shared a laugh, though Rhode seemed to sober instantly. There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.

"How much do your names differ?" At Lavi's confused look, she elaborated. "Is the 'Lavi' we know the same as 'Darryl', or 'Alexander', 'Harry', 'Oedipus'? Or is 'Lavi' a completely different persona?"

"I choose different names, Rhode." Lavi said firmly. "I don't have a personality disorder. I'm the same no matter what my name is." Rhode snorted lightly, a slightly amused look on her face.

"'A rose by any other name,'" she quoted quietly, "'would smell as sweet.'" With a sigh, Rhode stood and waved her hand, making the candles disappear and leaving them in darkness. "Come," she said as the brightly colored wrapped boxes dissolved into warm sunlight, "I suppose my uncle will want to see you now."

"Does this mean you forgive me?" Lavi asked as he moved to join the younger girl. The bear twisted around to look at him again.

"Leave Rhode-tama to decide on her own, Lero!" It chided him, making the red head grimace slightly.

"Hush, Lero." The girl said, tightening her grip on it briefly as she chanced a look at Lavi. "Not quite." She told him seriously. "But it's a start. Come on." Rhode held her hand out after shoving her lollipop in her mouth, looking up at Lavi with a guarded gaze that tentatively offered a delicate trust.

Without thinking, Lavi took her hand and followed her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They were all gathered at the table, waiting for Tyki to say something to them; not a single person said a word, nobody moved, some barely breathing at the serious atmosphere that surrounded the table and its occupants. Not even Jasdero or Devitto spoke or moved, both their eyes downcast and their shoulders heavy.

Tyki sat at the head of the table, Lavi at his side in case the still-injured man needed anything. Rhode sat in Tyki's old spot, Lulubell across her. Lenalee sat next to Rhode, the older teenager holding the younger's comfortingly. Komui sat beside his sister, Reever and the other gardeners beside him in a line. Across from Rhode was Jasdero and Devitto, an empty space between the boys. Krory and Miranda sat on the other side of the darker teens, several others filling in the seats after them.

"We have lost a few of our number." Tyki said quietly, his hands folded on the table in front of him. Despite the powers he had gained, Tyki remained paler than normal, his brown and gold eyes looking at each of the people at the table. His tone was solemn and grave, his shoulders lowered. "Several servants, and even one of the family." Lulubell reached behind her slowly, hand reaching for the person normally behind her; her fingers touched open air for a moment before her arm slowly pulling it back to her body. Jasdero and Devitto looked sadly at the seat between them, where their normal playmate sat. "How many?"

"We've lost Mimi." Lulubell said stoically, her expression blank save for the slight tightening of her jaw.

"Skinn." Jasdero and Devitto called out.

"Alyssa, Celia, Lorelei, and Corie." Lenalee listed the fierce, quiet girls she had known briefly before the enchantment occurred; one had been a candleholder, like Allen, two had been teacups, and the last had been a glass goblet normally used for parties.

"Connor and Jeffery." Krory added the two other men that had shared his position as a butler.

"Megan and Alicia." Miranda whispered the names of the sisters who had introduced her to the job she held in the castle, mending and coordinating everyone's clothes.

"That's it." Allen said after a few seconds of silence. "Everyone else had been here when we did the roll call."

"Who do we speak to?" Tyki asked slowly. "Who would we inform of their deaths?" There was an uneasy silence before Lenalee spoke again.

"No one, really." She said quietly. "He was careful who he made deals with, and who he took. Most of us came from the streets, or were taken from families who wouldn't care if they're gone."

The silence following that statement weighed down in the room, causing everyone to look down for different reasons; the family in slight shame, and the servants lost in memory. After a few moments, Tyki cleared his throat, carefully brushing back strands of his hair that had fallen in his face.

"There is a burial plot just outside the gardens." He announced. "It's a family plot- - -a majority of our family is buried back there now. We'll need several of you to help dig a grave for each dead servant we have." From the back, an unfamiliar man stepped forward with a raised hand.

"I'll help with what you need me to." He offered softly.

"His name is Toma." Allen interjected quickly, drawing Tyki's attention to the pale face of Cross Marian's apprentice. The boy flushed slightly, but plowed on before Tyki could speak. "He didn't take much part in the attack on the castle. Actually," Allen turned to face the bandaged male with slightly confused look, "aside from entering the castle premises, he really did nothing at all. Looked most of us over a bit, but then let us be."

"Oh?" Tyki questioned quietly, his gaze traveling back to the man, his fingers crossing. Without prompting, Toma moved forward, coming to a stop right next to the master of the castle; Tyki's dual gaze followed the man until he stopped. There was a deafening silence, and then Tyki moved too fast for anyone to protest verbally or physically: his eyes turned pure gold, his hand embedding itself deep into Toma's chest while his skin greyed and crosses embedded themselves in his forehead.

"Wait!" Allen cried out, and the same time Lenalee stood suddenly, hands flat on the table while she shouted "Tyki, no!"

"Why haven't you harmed us?" He all but snarled at the terrified male. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing!" Toma managed to cry out after several moments of stammering and false starts. Tyki glowered, and the man cried out in pain before adding, "I just looked around, honest! I couldn't possibly take what's not mine. I put everything back, I swear!"

"Enough, little brother." Lulubell said firmly, placing her hand on his shoulder. "I watched him carefully as long as I could. Everything he touched, he put back and left alone. You have my word." A tense moment passed before Tyki slid his hand out, his gold eye turning brown as he slipped back.

"Your help is appreciated." He murmured tiredly, eyes closing as he slumped slightly in his seat. Rhode and Lulubell shared a worried look, and Lavi hesitated, unsure of what to do. "Get started, all of you. Though not many, we have friends and family to put at rest."

As everyone stood to file outward, Lavi moved to follow them until he was pulled back.

"Yes?" He turned instantly, meeting Tyki's sharp eyes head on.

"Not you, Lavi." He said quietly. "You and I have something urgent to discuss."


	17. Finale B

I'm sure you all agree that this took far too long to post. I'm really sorry, my friends, but here it is- - -Finale B, the final chapter of A Bullet With Butterfly Wings. Thank you all for your patience, for all the silent readers I'm only 25% sure I have, for all the ones who've reviewed and favorited and alerted both my story and myself. Just knowing you guys at least appreciate the time I put into this is great encouragement for me and my writing. XD as such, I'm horribly sorry it took so long, I had the hardest time figuring out an ending to this particular story. If this doesn't live up to your expectations, or the long wait it took to post it, I'm so very sorry, truly. XD as it is, it barely lives up to MY expectations, and I'm the author! XD haha

And so, read, enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Chapter 17

Jasdero giggled quietly under his breath, his hands placed on the dirt ground under his partner in crime. Devitto was under the blonde as usual, the dark-haired boy placing his weight on his elbows as he created a space for the two of them to see in the bushes where they were hidden. In Devitto's right hand was a golden gun, its duplicate in the left hand of the blonde on top of him. They were gifts that had come along with their powers, the ones they had evidently gained as the Noah of Bonds. Their Jasdevi form was one they could use whenever they wanted (which they used to their advantage to play pranks on the castle members), their ability to speak to each other through their minds remained intact, and when they had come to the day after the battle, nearly a year to the day, they had awoken next to each other in their shared room, the barrels of the guns aimed at each other's heads. It had been a rather nasty surprise, but they had managed to keep them hidden from Rhode when they told her of Skinn's death.

And, as the days passed and time moved onward, everyone had slowly but surely gotten used to the semi-harmless weapons in the hands of the boys.

_Ready, Dero?_ Devitto asked the other as Kanda and Allen appeared in the entryway, bickering as usual even as they scanned the horizon for who-knows-what.

_Definitely, Devi._ The blonde snickered.

_All right._ Devitto cracked his neck, Jasdero copying the movement gleefully. _Three..._ Their guns cocked quietly at the same time, a soft click that never made it past the bushes, the barrels moving their aim slowly to new targets. _Two..._

_Here we go, here we go!_ Jasdero giggled.

_One!_

"BLUE BOMB!" They shouted together, jumping up and shooting a blue bullet at the couple. Instinctively, Kanda dodged the random attack, moving easily from his spot by the paler boy and managed to remain unscathed, though he shot them a fierce glare from where he stood.

Allen, unfortunately, didn't have the same samurai skills. As a result, he was covered instantly in the blue smoke, clouding his vision while Jasdero and Devitto cackled crazily. Kanda yelled something incomprehensible and both boys eyes widened in surprise when the infamous Mugen appeared. Sharing a brief look, Jasdero and Devitto stuck their tongues out at Kanda, delighting in the twitch that began in his eye, then bolted when the taller male rushed at them.

Giggling madly, they began a series of intricate dodges, shooting off a randomly colored bullet when they found the opening to (unfortunately, Kanda was far too skilled at avoiding the bullets), their challenge getting harder when Allen, covered from head to foot in blue dust, joined Kanda's attempt to capture the boys. They managed to stay out of reach until Allen grabbed Devitto's arm firmly, pulling the dark haired boy as far from his blonde partner in crime as possible. Jasdero's eyes widened, and moved to go after them when Kanda blocked his way with Mugen.

"You idiots are going to pay." He snarled. Jasdero's eyes widened in fake shock before a large grin covered his face, seeming to pull slightly at the stitched that covered his mouth.

_Now, Devi?_

_Now, Dero!_

Cackling an "I don't think so!" at Kanda and grinning at the slightly dumbstruck Allen respectively, the boys aimed the guns at each other and shot each other cleanly in the head. As smoke began pouring out of them and mixing together a good distance away, Kanda growled and tried futilely to slice at the vanishing body of Jasdero before him. The blonde stuck out his tongue, vanishing as the smoke pooled together and the familiar form of Jasdevi was found, perched on top of the door where Skinn had served as guard.

For a moment they paused, their hand on the side of the stone wall, before something caught their attention.

"Is that a carriage? No," they frowned, moving around to see better. "There are three...four? Yes, four. Four carriages. Who's coming?"

"What?" Allen scrambled up from where he had sat down on the steps to the entrance, his big silver eyes moving to Jasdevi. "Kanda, put that thing away! Are you sure the carriages are headed this way?" He yelled up as Kanda grumblingly obeyed. Jasdevi yelled out an affirmative just as the first carriage pulled up.

As soon as it did, Allen stopped rubbing futilely at his face (which only smeared the blue even more) and smiled politely. The door opened and a young woman stepped out, hair pulled back into a simple ponytail. Her dress was a light blue, hugging her petite figure; when she saw Allen and covered her mouth to hide the smile blooming on her open face, her dainty hands were covered by white gloves.

"Lady Tricia." Allen bowed, then paused as uncertainty rose in him- - -should he take her hand like he usually did, seeing as the blue powder dyed his hair and tainted his own clothes and gloves?

"Hello, Allen." Tricia seemed just as unsure until she removed one glove and placed it on Allen's head gingerly. Kanda stepped forward, grabbing the end of one of the trunks behind her. "Oh, and Kanda too! It's good to see you both, boys."

"Welcome back." The Asian grunted as he pulled the trunk forward. The weight dragged him down momentarily before the luggage, all of it, seemed to rise of its own accord into the air. :What the- - -?"

"Hello, boys!" A tall man with a strong resemblance to Tyki appeared, palm facing up as he maneuvered around the carriage. "Not too much happened while we were away, did it?"

"Lord Millennium is gone." The luggage nearly hit the ground; Sheryl's own dual eyes widened and he barely caught the falling suitcases in time. Allen smiled widely and carefully moved around Tricia to lend a hand, grabbing one of the floating suitcases in his hands. "Tyki's the ruler in the castle now."

"Where is he?" Tricia asked, her brown eyes wide with surprise and happiness. "Will he be back?"

"He's never coming back." Allen assured her firmly. "We haven't the faintest idea where he's gone. About two years ago- - -"

"Two years to the day!" They looked up to see Jasdero sitting on Devitto's shoulders; Devitto used one hand to keep them both balanced, Jasdero's hand wrapped around the darker haired boy's head to stay steady, their free hands waving their golden guns around. Devitto smirked in triumph, Jasdero giggling madly. "Don't listen to that dumbass, it's been two years to the day that this whole damn adventure occurred."

"Anyway," Allen said loudly, cutting the two boys off, "we were visited by the goddess Hevlaska, and she all but forced Lord Millennium out of the castle. He's gone." Allen moved to the side, allowing both of them to pass by him into the castle. "I'll explain as you settle in; it's a very long story, I'm afraid."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rhode glanced around the hallway quickly, ensuring that no one was around her as she slipped down the enormous third-floor hallway. Her black skirt, stopping just below her knees and made from a material that never seemed to settle as she moved, allowed her footwork to be swift and silent as she walked.

Her hair, a little longer now than it had been when she had transformed completely for the last time, was pulled back into a tight braid thanks to Lenalee, several strands of it framing her face and highlighting her gold and violet eyes. She was a bit taller, her entire demeanor that of a young girl trying to grow into the body of a teen.

"Rhode!" Lenalee's voice echoed from the end of the hallway; she had an exasperated tone to her voice, as if she had been calling the young girl for a while now and the fifteen-year-old continued to slip away and ignore her. "Come on, Rhode, you can't hide forever!"

"I can try!" She yelled back, her voice echoing as well. Moving quickly, Rhode turned a corner sharply and, using her current speed as leverage, climbed up the ladder that lead to the attic where she had used to play. She pulled the old thing up just as Lenalee followed around the corner, running past her hiding spot. Rhode smiled before closing the trap door quietly, sitting up fully in the space around her.

It had been too long since she'd last been in the room. The books that littered the floor were old and dusty, covered in layer after layer of it. The window that opened to the main gate was slightly clouded over in dust and grime, and anything that had been worth anything was hidden away in tiny little spots Rhode couldn't be bothered to look for at the moment.

Instead, she moved over to the large window where she had once spent her time and, wiping the glass with her elbow and not caring about the dirt on her normal pristine-white shirt, she leaned against the dust-covered love seat to peer through the window.

Far below her, she could see a blue-tinged Allen and Kanda bickering while they unloaded one of the four carriages that had pulled up without warning.

Beside the two boys were two people: a tall, light haired woman who was wearing an elegant yet simple blue dress, and a taller, darker haired male with short wavy hair. Her upper lip curled slightly as she glared down at them, her glare intensifying as she watched the man help by simply outstretching his hand.

There was a slightly muted sigh, and the love seat dipped a little as warmth flooded Rhode's side; Lenalee had found the other, easier way in.

"What's wrong, Little Mistress?" The taller girl asked softly, her hand brushing a soft strand of hair behind her pale ear. "You were fine at breakfast."

"They weren't here at breakfast." Rhode responded petulantly, crossing her arms and glaring harder. Lenalee raised an eyebrow, but continued her soft petting of her hair. After a few moments, Rhode huffed and looked away. "It isn't fair!" She cried out angrily. "It isn't! They think that they can just come back after all this time and just- - -"

"You know that the...he sent them out everywhere- - -" Lenalee tried to reason, but Rhode cut her off abruptly.

"That's no excuse!" She snapped. "They haven't come back for seven years. Seven. And in that time, nothing! Not one word to let us know if they were all right or even alive! And now they think they can come back and just- - -ugh!" Rhode had started pacing as she ranted, and when she couldn't walk anymore she threw herself back against the love seat, her back pressing against the window and catching more dirt on her shirt. Her arms were crossed again and she glowered furiously.

There was another moment of silence.

"Why did they come back?" She asked quietly, pulling her legs up to her chest and placing her crossed arms on her knees. Lenalee smiled sadly and wrapped her arm around Rhode's shoulders, pressing a small kiss to her hair as she tried to comfort her.

"Please at least come say hi." Lenalee pleaded softly. "They're your parents, and they've missed you."

"They haven't missed me enough to send a letter on my birthday, or any letter at all." Rhode grumbled back. Lenalee offered a tight smile, though Rhode couldn't see it, and patted her shoulder.

"They cared enough to come back." Lenalee said softly. "And they cared enough to leave you in the care of your aunt and uncle, and not in the employment of that horrible man."

"I ended up doing stuff for him anyway." Lenalee rolled her eyes and shook her head, looking up at the sky in a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"They're going to be staying for a few days, Rhode." She said gently. "At least try to talk to them? For me?" Rhode didn't answer, turning her head to look at the window and the people who had brought her to this place. Lenalee waited a moment before sighing and leaving the way she came in. Rhode uncurled slowly, turning a bit so she could continue to watch the outside world comfortably. Her hands moved to either side to balance her properly, and she felt soft fabric underneath her palm.

Rhode looked down and picked up the doll that had been laying face down beside her. It was just as dusty as the rest of the room, her pink dress faded and slightly threadbare. Her brown hair was in curled pigtails, the paint on her face chipped and washed out. Rhode's pale fingers trailed over the face and front of the dress of the doll she hadn't seen since she was eight.

_"I bought this especially for my little princess." Sheryl was kneeling before a small Rhode, who was holding her hands out excitedly for the present. Sheryl handed it to her and the eight year old's eyes gleamed happily, hugging the doll tightly to her as soon as it was placed in her hands. Sheryl laughed, ruffling her short hair as he stood up._

_"Ah, there you are, Sheryl." They both froze, Sheryl turning to face the shadowed face of the Millennium Earl. "I have another assignment for you. Come with me now so I can send you on your way immediately."_

_"Yes, Lord Millennium." Sheryl gave Rhode a strained smile and waved at the younger girl. "I guess I'll see you later."_

_"But you've just come home!" The eight year old protested when he turned to walk away, reaching forward and holding onto the taller man's shirt. "You can't leave yet!"_

_"Quiet Rhode!" Sheryl hissed when the Earl turned to see what was taking Sheryl so long to follow him. "I'll be home soon, I promise. I'll write, ok?" The young girl nodded solemnly, watching as he left._

_As soon as they were both out of sight, she turned and raced around the castle, moving as quickly as she could to the third floor so she could get to the little room she played in during the day._

"It's still not fair." She murmured, using her other hand to twine the curly hair around her fingers. After a moment, Rhode huffed and stood, holding the doll tightly in her hand. "I can't believe I'm going to do this."

With a dark scowl on her face, Rhode slipped out of her attic hideaway and landed easily on the hallway floor, the rug on the stone floor muffling her landing. She examined her outfit before shrugging carelessly and making her way toward the front door, alternating the reality around her with each turn she made back to the main entryway. It amused her until she reached the main hallway, where the loud, boisterous voice of her adoptive father was heard echoing in the stone around them. Steeling herself, Rhode turned the corner and shut her eyes tightly.

"Papa!" She called loudly, halting everyone. Sheryl, who'd been having an animated conversation with Allen, turned slowly to see her standing in the hall, her doll still clenched in her hand. Her dual colored eyes opened and met familiar-yet-not gold and brown eyes, and before she could stop herself, Rhode was running down the hallway.

She jumped, wrapping her arms around Sheryl's neck and swinging them around once or twice before they stopped; she could feel her eyes well up with tears, and before she could stop herself, she felt the familiar rush of energy coursing through her as she switched realms with her adoptive father, dragging him into her dream world with her. Sheryl didn't notice or care for the sudden change in scenery, instead hugging the girl tighter to him.

"I've missed you, my darling child." He murmured against her hair, placing her gently on the floor and pulling away to look at her fully. "Look how much you've grown in our absence!" Rhode smiled back, unable to hold onto her earlier sour mood and instead rejoicing in having her father's company back with her.

"How long will you stay this time, Papa?" She asked curiously. "Or Mama?"

"We won't leave again, my darling, I promise." Rhode pulled back further, suspicion and hope warring in her eyes, before she smiled and threw her arms around Sheryl's neck again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lavi turned slightly from the bookshelf-covered walls of the library to face the man who had been leaning against the window, watching the gardeners below as they worked. Tyki had his head pressed against the window pane, his gold-and-brown eyes glazed over and far away. His arms were crossed, his entire body language screaming 'lost in thought'.

Taking a deep breath, Lavi quietly made his way over to the other, placing a warm hand on his arm.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He asked softly when Tyki's eyes met his own, the contact bringing the master of the castle back to the 'here and now'. Adjusting himself just a little to face Lavi better, Tyki studied the red head for a moment before he spoke.

"It's been two years since you've come here." He started conversationally. "Two years since..." Lavi could feel the wall between the two thicken slightly, and he leaned against the bookshelf in irritation.

Surely, surely, he'd proven his point? There was no possible way Tyki didn't trust him at least a little, especially not after the past year. After all, hadn't Lavi been working hard to try and regain the other man's trust, to prove that his love was strong and true, as strong and as true as the master of the castle's?

(Not that he'd need to have proven that; if it wasn't as true as it should have been, the castle would still be an enchanted mess. It was something Tyki rarely acknowledged, much to Lavi's annoyance.)

"It has." Lavi said shortly, crossing his arms and watching Tyki with a raised eyebrow. "What of it?" Tyki gave a half shrug, his gaze moving to the window. Lavi scowled darkly, fingers tightening on the book in his hands as Tyki seemed to dismiss him with his body language. "And what have you learned from the past two years, Tyki Mikk?" The surprised master of the castle turned his dual-gaze back to Lavi's piercing gaze in shock, though his face was impassive save for the rising of one eyebrow.

"Come again?"

"You heard me." Lavi placed the book firmly on the bookshelf and moved towards Tyki and the window, situating himself across from the stunned master and mimicking his position. "What lessons have you learned in the past two years- - -your year of enchantment, and your year of being free once more, free to roam about in human form and leave the castle?" Lavi's gaze fell outside as well, his voice softening from its accusing tone. "Surely Hevlaska wanted some lesson to be learned." Out of the corner of his eye, Lavi watched as Tyki reached out to him; the past year of no contact from the slightly older male and the rush of memory- - -_rush of adrenaline, ducking under a thrown vase and hoping Tyki wouldn't remember his new powers and shove his hand through the red head's chest like he had with Toma_- - -had Lavi automatically wincing away from the oncoming hand.

"Love." Tyki responded after an awkward moment of silence. Lavi sighed heavily, mending the gap between them by reaching out as well and taking Tyki's still-outstretched hand in his own. The hand in his tightened minutely before he spoke again. "She wanted me, as the oldest male in the castle at the time, to find love so that I may rule this place properly in the absence of the Millennium Earl. And once I found it and it had changed me, presumably for the better, the enchantment would vanish." Tyki fell silent again, lost in thought once more, but Lavi watched him with curiosity. He felt that this lost in thought was different from the complete avoidance a few minutes prior, and he was right. After a moment, Tyki spoke again. "I wasn't sure how much of what you had told me was a lie at the time. And I definitely wasn't sure how long you would stay without being forced to, how long you would be content before feeling the urge to leave again."

"I wouldn't have- - -"

"The urge to leave is a strong one, not one to be ignored." Tyki interrupted smoothly. "Especially for one such as yourself, who is used to packing up and leaving whenever you fancied." Lavi winced as he thought of the massive internal debate that must have coursed through the older male during the past year, though his sympathy didn't go far when he remembered the way their last conversation had gone.

_"Tyki, what's going on?" Lavi asked, confusion filling his voice as the older male all but dragged him down the hallway to a room; it was only after they had stopped and Tyki turned to close the door that Lavi was able to look around and realize that they were in one of the extra rooms, a simple room with a small bed and dresser, and two doors leading (most likely) to a closet and a bathroom; a servant's room, then, maybe for Lenalee or one of the gardening team. At least, that's what it could have been if it were not filled with extra decorations- - -random vases, emptied and scattered randomly about the room, candleholders and feather dusters. It occurred to the red head what the room was; the current resting place of the objects the household members had been transformed into before becoming human again._

_ Tyki didn't answer him right away, and Lavi's confusion turned to concern. Worried, even more so because he remembered that the master of the castle was, in fact, injured greatly, Lavi moved to place his hand on Tyki's shoulder, marveling at the feel of the human flesh before him. "Tyki…?"_

_"When were you planning on telling any of us the truth of your past?" Tyki asked quietly, not meeting Lavi's confused emerald gaze at his sudden question._

_"I don't- - -" Tyki whirled around suddenly, startling Lavi into pulling his hand back; the feral look in his dual colored eyes was enough to make Lavi take another step back._

_"Enough with the lies!" He snarled loudly, hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to keep his temper in check. "When were you going to tell us?" Lavi scrambled for an answer, but he took too long; Tyki lost patience and grabbed the nearest candle holder, flinging it towards the red head. Instinctively, Lavi ducked and the silver holder- - -must have been Allen's, considering it was the only silver one- - -crashed into the wall behind him. "If all you want to do is leave, then leave!" Tyki roared at the red head cowering away from him, scowl deeply lining his face. "No one stops you now, not Rhode or Skinn or Lulubell."_

_"Tyki, calm down!" Lavi yelled back, letting out a startled cry and ducking as a glass vase flew in the air towards him this time; he ducked under it and hit the ground on his hands and knees hard, grunting in pain. Without thinking, Lavi scrambled towards the door on his hands and knees, instincts taking over and getting him as quickly out of the room as possible. Another vase crashed over head as Lavi slammed the door closed. Leaning his head against the wood, Lavi took deep breaths to try and steady his pounding heart. "Just listen to me, dammit!" Something rammed against the door, and Lavi was jolted forward and slammed back against the door. "Calm down!"_

_The next morning, Lavi quietly sat beside Lulubell at the table, watching quietly as the now human members of the castle bustled about and did their chores. Lulubell regarded him quietly out of the corner of her eye, watching him intently as she sipped at her milk; across from them, Rhode played with her powers, alternately appearing and disappearing before Tyki placed his hand on her own and made her stop long enough to eat breakfast. The master of the castle himself refused to look at the red head, marking the start of another very long year._

"I had hoped, as the year passed, to take in her lesson fully." Tyki murmured quietly, recapturing Lavi's attention. The red head blinked as he realized that he was the one who had gotten lost in his memories, but the master of the castle seemed to show no signs of realizing he had interrupted Lavi's thoughts. "I fought to get over the fear of letting you in so close again. But at the same time, I couldn't allow you to get any closer on the chance you would leave when you wanted."

"Haven't I proved yet that I won't leave?" Lavi insisted, moving closer and wrapping his arms around Tyki. The warmth and build of the slightly taller male had Lavi's eyes close in surprise and bliss. He automatically tightened his arms, inhaling the scent that distinguished the other; Tyki reached up slowly, placing his hand on Lavi's and leaning his head back against the red head's.

"I suppose you have." He commented dryly. Lavi made a noise of victory, muffled by the sudden movement of Tyki swirling around and pressing his lips against the red head's. Lavi, startled at the sudden contact, relaxed and leaned against Tyki, re-wrapping his arms around the taller male's neck. After a moment, Tyki pulled away from the chaste kiss, pressing his forehead against Lavi's and sighing.

"Does this mean you'll start talking to me again?" Lavi asked. "Without snapping at me or glaring viciously at me?"

"I suppose, if I must." Tyki agreed, glancing out the window once more. The sight of his brother, home again after eight years, made him smile widely. He pulled away, grabbing Lavi's hand and dragging him down the hall. "Now, come- - -my brother and his wife have deemed it time to return home, it seems, and we must be able to greet them after Rhode does."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hevlaska tugged the cloak tighter around her body, the magic in the cloth hiding her glowing form perfectly. The town, normally bustling with activity, was silent as its occupants slept in their homes. Night had fallen, and Hevlaska reminded herself once more of her assignment as she roamed the empty streets. She looked blindly though the shops, searching until she found the one she had been looking for. The bookstore before her had a sign in the window, the red 'CLOSED' print on the sign facing the street, but she reached out and effortlessly opened the door anyway.

The stacks of books looked just as they had four years previous, when she had first found refuge in the dusty shelves, and her fingers trailed longingly over the spines as she searched the store.

"May I help you, Lady Hevlaska?" Came the drawled statement, and the female goddess turned to find Cross leaning against one of his bookshelves, a wine glass in his hand. He peered at her from underneath his hat, eyes contemplative. "Were you searching for something in particular?"

"No." The goddess breathed loudly, her fingers still making patterns along the spines. "I merely came to thank you and Froi for your help with this group."

"Aah, they were particularly stubborn, weren't they?" The drunkard asked, draining the glass easily though his gaze never left the blind goddess'. "This group of brats."

"Indeed." She agreed, walking along the shelf until her fingertips touched Cross' arm. "Come now, Cross Marian. We must find Froi and help the next ones." The man hung his head and groaned, but allowed Hevlaska to take his hand in her own and lead him away.

"Work, work, work. That's all me and this damn artist seem to be any good for." He grumbled good-naturedly, rubbing his temples with his free hand and tilting his head from side to side, cracking the bones in his neck loudly. "That kid you seem so eager to dump on me better not be too much of a pain in the ass this time. He wouldn't listen to one damn thing I said this time around."

The goddess smiled mysteriously, still leading Cross out of the bookstore and into the streets. They walked silently until they reached the house that lay on the very outskirts of town; the last known place for the eternally-wandering Bookman. Leaning against the wall, facing the town and sketchbook in hand, Froi Tiedoll concentrated on his sketch of the buildings before him. He looked up as Hevlaska and Cross approached him, smiling jovially and waving once.

"I suppose it's time to move on then?" He asked, gathering the supplies around him. Hevlaska nodded once, releasing Cross when the red haired male was right in front of the artist. "I'll miss that boy."

"You say that each time." Cross sighed back mockingly. "And each time, you get the same damn pain in the ass. The same group of brats, actually."

"I can't help it!" Tiedoll smiled secretively. "You miss each Allen you take in, even if you won't admit it." Cross opened his mouth to shoot back an answer, but he was stopped by Hevlaska's hand on both men's shoulders.

"Calm, boys." She said soothingly. "Wait until we leave." The bickering stopped instantly, and Hevlaska smiled mysteriously. "Know this now- - -no matter what happens in the next reality, you mustn't interfere in any way." Her soft green light darkened and grew, surrounding the trio. Cross and Tiedoll glanced at each other in confusion before grabbing each other's arms, linking hands with Hevlaska's hand on their shoulders as it enveloped them all. After a moment, the light vanished and they were all gone. The house remained standing on the outskirts of town, the grass around it green and inviting. The townspeople continued to sleep on, unaware of the magic that had happened outside their windows.

The next morning, they would go about their normal routines. Children would run free in the streets, playing with one another while their parents worked. Travelers would pass through every now and then, though the older members were still distrustful and the younger ones were more open minded. Every so often, someone would wonder about the artist who seemed to have no home and no where to stay, with nothing but his friendly smile, welcome disposition, artist tools and sketchbooks; more often than not, they wondered about the bookkeeper and where he had gone. The flirting drunkard they had supposedly known all their lives, though any memories of him were hazy at best. They gossiped and wondered and questioned, then put the issue from their minds and went back to work. Soon, they all but forgot about it, passing by the spots where Froi Tiedoll would sit and paint, peering into the dark dusty shelves where Cross lurked and continuing onward without breaking stride.

The sign in the bookstore window stayed flipped to CLOSED, not to be touched again.


End file.
